Major General M. Gopal Rao (left) and Rear Admiral Ahsan-ul-Haq Chaudhri before the meeting in New Delhi. (AFP)

New Delhi, May 26: India and Pakistan today decided to conduct a joint survey of the disputed maritime boundary at Sir Creek between Gujarat and Sindh and set March 2007 as the date by which to complete it.

The decision means that the talks have recorded a marginal push but Delhi and Islamabad were still some distance from resolving the issue.

“Both sides agreed on the early settlement of the land boundary in the Sir Creek area 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 today said.

Sir Creek, the 100-km-long narrow strip of water that opens into the Arabian Sea between Gujarat and Sindh, is in the middle of marshland but is deemed to be potentially rich with oil deposits. India and Pakistan waged war in the area in 1965 and in 1999. India shot down a Pakistani aircraft near it after it had allegedly strayed into Indian airspace.

The talks held in New Delhi on Thursday and Friday are part of the composite dialogue process. The dispute is on the demarcation of the international boundary in the creek. India’s stand is that the boundary should pass through the middle of the navigable channel while Pakistan insists the boundary should be to the east of the creek.

The joint statement said technical experts of the two countries would meet in Pakistan in August this year to “work out the extent and modalities for the joint survey”. Hydrographers will propose options for delimitation of the maritime boundary in the August meeting.

A joint survey was conducted in January 2005, also, to trace boundary pillars in the creek said to have been erected in 1924.

The Indian side was led by Major General M. Gopal Rao, surveyor-general and the Pakistani delegation by Rear Admiral Ahsan-ul-Haq Chaudhri, additional secretary of the ministry of defence.