India and Pakistan have decided that their technical experts and hydrographers would meet in Pak to work out the extent and modalities for the survey.
NEW DELHI: Committing to an early settlement of the boundary dispute in Sir Creek, India and Pakistan on Friday succeeded in narrowing down differences and agreed to conduct a joint survey of the area by March next year.
After two days of official level parleys, the two sides decided that their technical experts and hydrographers would meet in Pakistan in August to work out the extent and modalities for the survey.
Options for delimitation of the maritime boundary will also be proposed at the meeting.
"Both sides agreed on the early settlement of the land boundary in Sir Creek and the maritime boundary and to conduct a joint survey of the Sir Creek and adjoining areas and waters between November 2006 and March 2007," a Joint Statement issued after the two-day parleys said.
At the talks, the Indian side was led by Surveyor General Maj Gen M Gopal Rao while Pakistan's Additional Secretary, Defence, Rear Admiral Ahsan-ul-Haq Chaudhri headed his country's delegation.
"The two sides discussed the delineation of India and Pakistan boundary in the Sir Creek area and delimitation of India-Pakistan Maritime Boundary," the statement said.
The two sides have been able to narrow down differences, said Rao, flanked by Chaudhri, as they emerged from the talks to resolve boundary dispute in Sir Creek, a marshy area in Rann of Kutch between Gujarat and Sindh province of Pakistan.
Chaudhri said the two countries had made progress. This was the eighth round of talks between New Delhi and Islamabad since 1969 on the demarcation dispute which runs from the mouth to the top of Sir Creek between Sindh in Pakistan and Gujarat in India.
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