ID :
86149
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 01:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/86149
The shortlink copeid
India, China agree to maintain peace on border
Prakash Chawla
Cha-Am Hua Hin, Oct 25 (PTI) Seeking to put behind the
recent irritants in bilateral ties, India and China have
reaffirmed the need to maintain peace and tranquility on
border and agreed to resolve all issues in the spirit of
"strategic and cooperative partnership".
A day after he met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao
here and discussed border problem and other issues like
construction of dam by China on Brahmaputra river, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh said the two leaders agreed that
existing mechanisms should be used to resolve all outstanding
issues.
Addressing a press conference before winding up his
two-day visit here for Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN)-India and East Asia Summits, Singh made it clear that
Arunachal Pradesh, over which China lays claim, is an integral
part of India.
He said the issue related to the Dalai Lama also came up
during his meeting with Wen and he told Wen that the Tibetan
spiritual leader is an "honoured guest" but the Tibetan
refugees were not permitted to engage in political activities.
"I had a frank and constructive exchange of views with
Premier Wen," Singh said, adding "Both of us agreed that we
should continue and strengthen efforts to build political
trust and understanding."
Describing the boundary problem as a "complex issue"
which "cannot be wished away", he said "the Premier and I
reaffirmed the need to maintain peace and tranquility on the
border pending the resolution of the boundary question."
"We discussed all these issues and agreed that the
existing mechanism of bilateral cooperation should be used to
resolve all issues in the spirit of strategic and cooperative
partnership," Singh said when asked whether boundary issue
figured in the talks.
He noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will
be visiting India in two days and the Foreign Ministers of the
two countries would have an opportunity to "discuss all issues
which have bearing on our relationship."
Yang will reach Bangalore on Monday for
Russia-India-China trilateral Foreign Ministerial meeting on
Tuesday.
The meeting between Singh and Wen came in the backdrop
of war of words over India's north-eastern state of Arunachal
Pradesh and some other issues like the Dalai Lama's proposed
visit to the state.
Pointing out that the two countries had "established
government channels available to exchange views" on all
bilateral issues, Singh said "one doesn't have, therefore, to
go to the media to accentuate or exaggerate the amount of
differences that prevail."
Singh said he raised with Wen the issue of dam being
constructed by China on Brahmaputra river, amid concerns that
it would lead to diversion of the river water and badly affect
the north eastern states of India.
"I did raise this issue" with Wen and conveyed to him
that cooperation in the area of trans-border rivers is of
mutual benefit, he said.
Quoting Wen, Singh said relevant discussion on
trans-border river issues could be held through the
expert-level mechanism that the two countries have
constituted.
The Chinese Premier said his country has been providing
hydrological data during the flood season "keeping in mind the
overall friendly relations and the humanitarian aspects".
Reports about China's plans to build the 116-metre tall
and 389.5-metre long dam had emerged three years back after
which the two countries set up an Expert-Level Mechanism which
held three meetings over the last three years.
The dam is said to be part of a 540 MW power project and
India fears that the construction on Brahmaputra river could
lead to submergence and other problems downstream in India's
north-eastern state of Assam and other areas. It, however, has
no problems with any run-off-the-river project.
To a question on Chinese participation in projects in
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir which India had objected to, Singh
said he did not raise this issue specifically.
He, however, underlined that India's northern state of
Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, apparently
suggesting that involvement of China in activities in parts of
the state under Pakistani occupation was not acceptable.
Contrary to the information provided by the Indian side
after the Singh-Wen meeting on Saturday that the Dalai Lama
issue did not figure in the talks, the Prime Minister himself
said the matter did come up.
"Well, all I can say is I explained to Premier Wen that
the Dalai Lama is our honoured guest. He is a religious
leader," Singh said.
At the same time, he told Wen that "we do not allow
Tibetan refugees to indulge in political activities and as a
proof of that last year we took resolute action at the time of
Olympics (torch relay in Delhi) when there were reports that
some Tibetan refugees might disrupt the process."
Asked whether the Chinese Premier expressed objection to
Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh next month,
Singh said "I am not aware of the plans of the Dalai Lama".
China had recently expressed objection to the Dalai
Lama's planned visit to Arunachal as the state was disputed.
India rejected it, saying Arunachal is he was free to travel
anywhere in the country. PTI PC
RAI
Cha-Am Hua Hin, Oct 25 (PTI) Seeking to put behind the
recent irritants in bilateral ties, India and China have
reaffirmed the need to maintain peace and tranquility on
border and agreed to resolve all issues in the spirit of
"strategic and cooperative partnership".
A day after he met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao
here and discussed border problem and other issues like
construction of dam by China on Brahmaputra river, Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh said the two leaders agreed that
existing mechanisms should be used to resolve all outstanding
issues.
Addressing a press conference before winding up his
two-day visit here for Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN)-India and East Asia Summits, Singh made it clear that
Arunachal Pradesh, over which China lays claim, is an integral
part of India.
He said the issue related to the Dalai Lama also came up
during his meeting with Wen and he told Wen that the Tibetan
spiritual leader is an "honoured guest" but the Tibetan
refugees were not permitted to engage in political activities.
"I had a frank and constructive exchange of views with
Premier Wen," Singh said, adding "Both of us agreed that we
should continue and strengthen efforts to build political
trust and understanding."
Describing the boundary problem as a "complex issue"
which "cannot be wished away", he said "the Premier and I
reaffirmed the need to maintain peace and tranquility on the
border pending the resolution of the boundary question."
"We discussed all these issues and agreed that the
existing mechanism of bilateral cooperation should be used to
resolve all issues in the spirit of strategic and cooperative
partnership," Singh said when asked whether boundary issue
figured in the talks.
He noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will
be visiting India in two days and the Foreign Ministers of the
two countries would have an opportunity to "discuss all issues
which have bearing on our relationship."
Yang will reach Bangalore on Monday for
Russia-India-China trilateral Foreign Ministerial meeting on
Tuesday.
The meeting between Singh and Wen came in the backdrop
of war of words over India's north-eastern state of Arunachal
Pradesh and some other issues like the Dalai Lama's proposed
visit to the state.
Pointing out that the two countries had "established
government channels available to exchange views" on all
bilateral issues, Singh said "one doesn't have, therefore, to
go to the media to accentuate or exaggerate the amount of
differences that prevail."
Singh said he raised with Wen the issue of dam being
constructed by China on Brahmaputra river, amid concerns that
it would lead to diversion of the river water and badly affect
the north eastern states of India.
"I did raise this issue" with Wen and conveyed to him
that cooperation in the area of trans-border rivers is of
mutual benefit, he said.
Quoting Wen, Singh said relevant discussion on
trans-border river issues could be held through the
expert-level mechanism that the two countries have
constituted.
The Chinese Premier said his country has been providing
hydrological data during the flood season "keeping in mind the
overall friendly relations and the humanitarian aspects".
Reports about China's plans to build the 116-metre tall
and 389.5-metre long dam had emerged three years back after
which the two countries set up an Expert-Level Mechanism which
held three meetings over the last three years.
The dam is said to be part of a 540 MW power project and
India fears that the construction on Brahmaputra river could
lead to submergence and other problems downstream in India's
north-eastern state of Assam and other areas. It, however, has
no problems with any run-off-the-river project.
To a question on Chinese participation in projects in
Pakistan-occupied Kashmir which India had objected to, Singh
said he did not raise this issue specifically.
He, however, underlined that India's northern state of
Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, apparently
suggesting that involvement of China in activities in parts of
the state under Pakistani occupation was not acceptable.
Contrary to the information provided by the Indian side
after the Singh-Wen meeting on Saturday that the Dalai Lama
issue did not figure in the talks, the Prime Minister himself
said the matter did come up.
"Well, all I can say is I explained to Premier Wen that
the Dalai Lama is our honoured guest. He is a religious
leader," Singh said.
At the same time, he told Wen that "we do not allow
Tibetan refugees to indulge in political activities and as a
proof of that last year we took resolute action at the time of
Olympics (torch relay in Delhi) when there were reports that
some Tibetan refugees might disrupt the process."
Asked whether the Chinese Premier expressed objection to
Dalai Lama's proposed visit to Arunachal Pradesh next month,
Singh said "I am not aware of the plans of the Dalai Lama".
China had recently expressed objection to the Dalai
Lama's planned visit to Arunachal as the state was disputed.
India rejected it, saying Arunachal is he was free to travel
anywhere in the country. PTI PC
RAI
