Dhaka, Yangon hold talks over sea border demarcation

DHAKA - Bangladesh Friday began maritime boundary talks with Myanmar as it notified India to expedite a similar process that will be discussed during the summit level talks in New Delhi next week.

Resuming dialogue with its neighbours after 28 years last year, Dhaka seeks to fast-forward the process in time for submitting its case before the UN Commission on Law of the Sea later this year.

Delineation of maritime boundary has become crucial as all the three nations in the upper reaches of Bay of Bengal are in a race to explore hydrocarbons. India has already made its offshore finds in the southern region off Andhra Pradesh state.

Bangladesh is sandwiched between India and Myanmar and complains that both neighbours have been encroaching upon what should be its maritime zone.

Dhaka and Yangon discussed methods for demarcation of the maritime boundary at a two-day high-level meeting in Chittagong port town.

A 13-member team from each side participated at the meeting, ATN Bangla TV channel reported.