Friday, June 10 2005 08:15 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: The World Bank appointed neutral expert to resolve Indo-Pak dispute over Baglihar hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir yesterday (Jun 9, 2005) began talks with officials of the two countries in Paris.

Neutral expert Raymond Laffite held extensive discussions with the delegation of the two countries to understand their points of view over the disputed 450 MW project being constructed over river Chenab in Doda district.

Indian officials attending the two-day talks described the discussions as "very positive".

Water Resources Secretary J Harinarayan is leading a delegation of officials and eminent lawyers who presented India's case before Lafitte.

Lafitte would set out the procedure subject to the conditions under the Indus Water Treaty of 1960. The conditions were that both sides would be given equal hearing and the expert would conform to the provisions of the treaty and there would be no financial determination.

Pakistan has been saying that the design of the Baglihar project violates the Indus Water Treaty, a charge India has denied.

Pakistan's Attorney General Makhdoom Ali Khan is leading a four-member delegation to Paris for the talks.

On April 10, the World Bank had appointed Lafitte, a Swiss civil engineer, as the neutral expert to address the differences between Pakistan and India on the hydropower project.

This is for the first time in the 45-year history of the treaty that the Bank has appointed a neutral expert to address a dispute between the two countries.