Sunday, January 23 2005 12:48 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Seeking to upgrade bilateral relationship, India and China will hold their first-ever 'strategic dialogue' in New Delhi tomorrow (Jan 24, 2005) to discuss major global and regional issues including international terrorism, non-proliferation and energy security.

The main focus will be on important global issues, official sources said in New Delhi. UN reforms, developments in Iraq and issues relating to Afghanistan, Iran and North Korea are also expected to figure during the parleys.

The sources made it clear that there was no overlapping in the ongoing process of discussions by the Special Representatives on the boundary problem.

Government has still not formally made an announcement on who would carry forward the dialogue with Chinese Special Representative Dai Bingguo -- a task undertaken by late J N Dixit and earlier under the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government by Brajesh Mishra.

At tomorrow's talks, the Indian side would be led by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran while the Chinese delegation would be headed by Vice Foreign Minister for Asian Affairs Wu Dawei.

The aim of the strategic dialogue is to broaden the scope of the blooming bilateral relationship, allowing both sides to exchange notes on global and regional security issues, the sources said.

The two sides are expected to exchange views on the stalled North Korean nuclear issue, a topic personally handled by Wu as the host of the six-party talks on a sensitive matter that has severe implications for security and stability of Asia.

The six-party talks between the US, North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia on Pyongyang's nuclear programmes have hit a major roadblock. A fourth round of scheduled talks in Beijing last September did not materialise amid serious differences between Pyongyang and Washington.

Wu is likely to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh during the visit.

The need for such a dialogue was emphasised during the meeting of the Prime Minister with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) Summit in Laos in November last.

Recognising the immense untapped potential for economic cooperation, the two leaders had agreed to strengthen this relationship.

Wen had then observed "handshake between you and me will catch the attention of the world and friendly ties between the two countries with a population of over two billion will have a significant impact on the world".

The talks will also prepare grounds for the visit of Wen expected to take place in March.

Reflecting the increasing significance China is attaching to consolidating ties with India, Wen had noted that his visit to India would be the most important event in 2005.

The two sides are also likely to exchange views on their relations with 'big powers' like the United States with a view to acquiring a long-term perspective, the sources said.

Approaches towards multilateral and regional organisations like the ASEAN and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a regional security organisation initiated by China, are expected to figure during the parleys.

A Chinese Embassy official in New Delhi said this would be the first strategic dialogue session between Wu and Saran.

This will also provide an opportunity for them to get to know each other and chart out the roadmap to take forward directives of the two Prime Ministers, the sources said.