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India, China exchange maps on LAC: PTI

In a major breakthrough on the Sino-Indian border issue, the two countries have for the first time exchanged detailed maps on the over 545 km middle sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), paving the way for similar exchanges in the eastern and western sectors.

Announcing this in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said experts of the two countries would now compare the maps that stretch from Himachal Pradesh to the tri-junction of India, China and Nepal in Uttaranchal to pinpoint differences which would then be taken up at the ninth meeting of the Indian-China expert group.

Describing this as a "significant" development, Singh said the maps were exchanged at the just-concluded eighth meeting of Sino-Indian diplomatic and military expert group in Beijing on November 13-14.

He said that at his meeting with his Chinese counterpart on May 5, the two countries had proposed to expedite the map clarification exercise to be completed by the end of next year.

Stating that the Sino-Indian border was by and large peaceful, Singh said India was committed to improving relations with its Asian neighbour on the basis of the five principles of Panchsheel and mutual sensitivity.

Turning to Pakistan, Singh said India was committed to having a dialogue but a suitable environment free of violence, tension and cross-border terrorism had to be created.

"Violence cannot be used as an instrument of negotiation," he said, appealing to Islamabad to "come to terms with its history and geography".

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