Press Trust of India Posted online: Monday, January 15, 2007 at 1716 hours IST
Islamabad, January 15: Hydrographers from India and Pakistan on Monday formally began a 20-day joint survey of Sir Creek, a 65 mile-long marshy strip off the Gujarat coast, to finalise maps, which would help the two countries demarcate the disputed maritime boundary of the area.
The hydrographers met onboard an Indian ship at the Sir Creek and held discussions, officials in Islamabad said.
Officials from both sides finalised the modalities of the survey during their meeting here on December 23 and the process was going on as per schedule.
The survey would be conducted on land as well off the coast to verify the outermost points of the coastline in the disputed area based on the principle of equidistance.
This is the second survey being conducted in Sir Creek in as many years. The first survey, conducted last year, covered the horizontal section of the creek.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, after talks with his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid M Kasuri, told reporters yesterday that the officials would be directed to expedite their work on Sir Creek.
Last month's talks between hydrographers centered around modalities to coordinate the joint survey of Sir Creek and the adjoining areas without prejudice to the positions of the two countries.
The two sides simultaneously held discussions to finalise the maritime boundary whose determination was delayed due to the dispute over marshy strip.
The joint survey was expected to take 20 days to one month after which the two sides would submit the maps to their respective governments to initiate talks on the collective data to finalise the boundary.
India says the boundary should be in the middle of the estuary, while Pakistan wants the border to lie on the south-east bank.
The determination of the coastline was essential for both countries to notify the maritime economic zone to the UN Convention on 'Law of the Sea' to which both Pakistan and India are signatories.
The convention requires that all maritime boundary disputes be resolved by 2009 failing which UN may declare them international waters.
Sir Creek is one of the issues being discussed under the composite dialogue process between the two countries that has completed three rounds. The two countries would commence the fourth round from March this year.
