Kottayam, March 13: A cryptic statement today summed up the “constructive and friendly atmosphere” in which India and China concluded the seventh round of border talks at the picturesque Kumarakom near here today.

But the pace and style of deliberations in the past two days, punctuated with boat rides and well-laid out Kerala cuisine, in the placid backwater resort echoed the opening comment by Chinese vice-foreign minister Dai Bingguo: “The beauty of this place will add to our wisdom.”

The next round of talks will be held in China on mutually convenient dates.

A joint release said the two sides “continued the discussions for an agreed framework for the resolution of the boundary question in a constructive and friendly manner”.

National security adviser M.K. Narayanan and Dai Bingguo had a tete-a-tete at the lakeside resort but they refused to respond to questions from reporters at the venue.

A joint news conference was organised on the first day but the resort was virtually out of bounds for the media since then.

Three hundred policemen guarded the venue and the anti-sabotage squad of Kerala police scoured the premises with metal detectors.

Three boats with Kerala police escorted the VIP houseboat cruises. Underwater mine sweepers were also used since the talks were held at a cottage overlooking a pool.

The conference venue was atop the room from where former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee penned his famous “Kumarakom musings” in January 2001.

The choice of the venue could not have been better since the first two rounds of talks were held between former national security adviser Brajesh Mishra, a Vajpayee nominee, and his Chinese counterpart.

Narayanan perhaps wanted to underscore the continuum in the protracted and complex border talks initiated by the previous BJP government.

Officials accompanying the delegations said the unassuming and informal style of the two team leaders spoke volumes of the cordiality of the negotiations.

Narayanan would wait for Dai Bingguo and usher him into the conference room or the houseboat, they added.

The officials said the Chinese representatives moved about freely, exchanging pleasantries with the delegates.

The pearl spot (karimeen), the best of the Vembanad Lake fish, and tapioca formed part of the menu, along with south Indian favourites like idli and dosa.

On Monday afternoon, the two sides left in a convoy for a wrap-up dinner at the booming port city of Kochi.

The Chinese delegation will leave for Singapore tomorrow morning en route to Beijing.