Dhaka: Delegations from Burma and Bangladesh will sit on Friday in Chittagong, the second largest city of Bangladesh, to solve a maritime dispute, according to an official report.

The report said, “Bangladesh and Burma have scheduled to begin a two-day bilateral meeting on maritime boundary disputes in Chittagong on Friday. The meeting is likely to solve the problem peacefully."

Burma's foreign deputy minister, U Maung Myint, will lead the Burmese delegation while the Bangladesh delegation will be led by Additional Secretary to Bangladesh Foreign Ministry M Khurshed Alam.

Bangladesh will stress the need for the resolution of maritime boundary disputes with Burma and India in a time-bound manner for its access to natural resources in the Bay of Bengal.

According to a local source, Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni told this to Burma Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint who called on her in her office in Dhaka on 30 December 2009.

Burma and Bangladesh have a problem with their maritime boundary that has been referred to the United Nations after Bangladesh filed a formal objection.

“[Bangladesh] has registered its objection with United Nations to the claims of Burma and India over certain areas in the Bay this year,” the report said.

However, Bangladesh and Burma are trying to solve the dispute by holding bilateral talks for amicable settlement of the disputes. According to UN Convention on Law of the seas, Burma must demarcate its maritime boundary by May 21, 2009 and Bangladesh by July 27, 2011. India will demarcate its maritime boundary on 29 June 2009.

The Burma delegation led U Maung Myint is expected to arrive at Dhaka on Thursday.

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