Thursday, September 15 2005 09:56 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: India and China have agreed to seek a 'reasonable solution' to the boundary question with 'greater urgency' and are looking forward to the meeting of special representatives of the two countries later this year.

This agreement was reached at a meeting here yesterday (Sept 14, 2005) between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNSC).

The two leaders felt that guiding principles and political parameters would form the basis of solution to the long-standing dispute.

Briefing reporters, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said the leaders felt that the two countries had an opportunity to look for a pragmatic solution based on the political parameters agreed between them.

The Prime Minister referred to the agreement reached on political parameters and guiding principles to resolve the boundary question and said they were looking forward to the meeting of special representatives later this year in China.

"We have an opportunity to look for a pragmatic solution based on these principles," he said.

Hu agreed that the two countries should work for a solution based on these principles, the spokesman said.

The Prime Minister thanked China's support for India's participation in the ITER nuclear project in Europe.

Hu briefed the Prime Minister on six-party talks on nuclear programme in North Korea. There was also an exchange of views on Iran, the spokesman said, adding, there was similarity of views between the two countries on Tehran.

The two leaders had extensive discussions for over half-an-hour. They noted that this was the fourth meeting between them in the last one-year and that relations between the two countries had developed in a positive direction in recent times.

The Chinese President referred to what the Prime Minister had said to him on an earlier occasion that India and China were not adversaries but partners.

Hu said the strategic and cooperative partnership between the two countries would benefit Asia as well as the entire world.

The Prime Minister endorsed this view, the spokesman said.

Singh said India and China had launched this strategic and cooperative partnership when Premier Wen came to India last year.

This promised prospects of prosperity and peace not only for the two countries but also for Asia and the world, he said.

The President said in this spirit China had supported India in becoming an observer at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and attending the East Asia Summit.

The Prime Minister referred to economic relations between the two countries and said they agreed it would be possible to double trade between the two countries in the next two to three years rather than five years.

"Therefore, we must aim higher. The two leaders agreed to launch a regional trade arrangement between the two nations and to schedule a meeting of the Joint Commission at an early date."