08 August 2004	Sunday	21 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

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NEW DELHI, Aug 7: India and Pakistan concluded their two-day talks on Saturday over their border demarcation dispute in the Sir Creek with no signs of any headway.

Officials close to the talks said the two sides reiterated their stated positions, with little to add to what they had discussed when they last met in 1998.

A joint statement said that the delegations led by Dr Prithvish Nag, Surveyor General of India, and Pakistan's Rear Admiral Ahsan ul Haq Chaudhry, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, held their talks in a "frank and friendly atmosphere."

"The two sides elaborated upon their respective positions and had a detailed and useful exchange of views on the various issues involved," the statement said.

"It was agreed that early resolution of the issue would be in the interest of both countries. The two sides agreed to continue the discussions," the statement said.

India claimed after the inconclusive talks in 1998 that Pakistan's attitude reflected its desire to seek an absolute resolution from the map to the exclusion of internationally accepted Cartographic procedures as well as historical developments that have taken place.

Pakistani officials say the only valid map accepted by both sides endorsed its own interpretation of the actual boundary in the Sir Creek.

AFP, Reuters add: India says the boundary lies in the middle of the 60-kilometre estuary while Pakistan says it is on the eastern bank.

The area is considered economically strategic as it is believed to hold abundant deposits of oil and gas.

The dispute has prevented the two sides agreeing on their maritime boundaries and hampered offshore exploration in the area.

The two sides must submit their maritime boundaries to the United Nations by 2009 in order to claim exclusive economic rights over waters 350 km offshore, as part of international efforts to demarcate the continental shelf.

More discussions are scheduled in August on trade and cracking down on drug trafficking.

Giving further impetus to the process, Union Home Secretary Dhirendra Singh will leave for Islamabad on August 9 to attend two-day talks on combating terrorism and menace of narcotic trade.