Monday, January 17 2005 20:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: India and Pakistan officials have "successfully and expeditiously" completed the joint survey of Sir Creek area of Gujarat coast and the officials of both the countries were busy preparing joint statement to be submitted for talks by experts.

"The teams co-operated with each other and completed the task successfully and expeditiously. Survey officials both the countries are now busy preparing a joint statement," Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan told reporters in Islamabad today (Jan 17, 2005).

The survey was completed well ahead of schedule as the two countries had deployed eight teams each for the survey of horizontal segment of the creek, he said.

Experts from both sides will examine the joint statement and discuss it further in the next round of talks between the experts on Sir Creek issue, Khan added.

The joint survey began on January 3 and was completed in two weeks.

Sir Creek was included in the eight point agenda of the Composite Dialogue process as one of the contentious issues.

The two sides held eight rounds of talks on the seven mile disputed Creek.

The disputed Sir Creek, which runs along Rann of Kutch in India and Sindh in Pakistan, is at the centre of a 22-year-old dispute between the two countries.