Thursday, December 2, 2010

Border talks fail to break the ice

VINEET TRIPATHI
Last updated on December 1, 2010


The 14th round of high-level Sino-Indian diplomatic talks to resolve the Himalayan border issue ended in Beijing on November 30 with a joint pledge to "seek a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to both sides."
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that his country was “committed to resolving the border question through frank consultations with India. It is willing to make joint efforts with India to maintain peace and stability on the border.”
The talks, held in Beijing during Nov 29-3 were focused on finding a framework for a final settlement of disputed areas in the western and eastern sections of the border. The meeting was attended by Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and the Indian National Security Adviser and special representative on border talks, Shiv Shankar Menon.
China’s official newspaper Global Times said that the Chinese government’s position was that both countries “will take into consideration each other’s concerns, and work toward an equitable and justified settlement of border issues that is acceptable to both sides.” However, it quoted Zhao Gancheng, a leading Chinese strategist, as saying that “Indian activities near the border” and “remarks made by senior Indian officials who played up the China threat” had “harmed the chances” of reaching a quick resolution.
On the other hand, The Hindu on November 30 cited Indian officials as saying in an online report that a hardening of China’s claims on Arunachal Pradesh meant the talks were likely to remain long drawn-out. Last year, China had voiced strong opposition to the Indian Prime Minister’s visit to the State. Nevertheless, Outlook in its e-issue of Nov 30 cited Menon, who held three rounds of talks with his Chinese counterpart, as saying that steady progress was being made with discussions focused on working out a framework to resolve the border dispute. It said Menon and Dai discussed the whole gamut of issues bedeviling the two countries, including the resumption of defense exchanges put on hold by India following denial of visa to a top Indian millitary official, B S Jaswal.
These talks had assumed a great degree of importance as they took place ahead of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to India starting December10. China’s recent activities on the eastern (Arunachal) border were expected to fuel a strong stand from the Indian delegate. The construction of a dozen dams on the Brahmaputra River by the Chinese, including the world’s largest dam in the Nyngtri perfecture just near the The Great Bend, where the Brahmputra enters India and its plan to divert its water to the North-eastern cities had created great mistrust and suspicion on the Indian side.
Also China’s plan to create a rail link till Nyngtri near the Arunachal border had raised Indian eyebrows. The two sides discussed unresolved disagreements including Chinese stapled visas to resident of Kashmir, India’s suspension of high-level defense exchanges and the Chinese footprint in infrastructure projects being implemented in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
China occupies part of Jammu and Kashmir region ceded to it by Pakistan. Besides, India alleges that China illegally occupies 43,000 square kilometers of land in Kashmir. China refuses to accept the McMohan line as the Sino-Indian border and lays claim to the whole of Arunachal Pradesh on the ground that it was once part of Tibet.

3 comments:

  1. hey
    indeed nice to see you working with technology......the report is extensive with proper coverage of all aspects derived from various journalistic sources......content is lucid and to the point....looking forward to the same once wen jiabao's visit is over..

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  2. This is a good write-up. Quite balanced and lucid.
    The blog is well designed and organized.
    Well done!

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  3. Your blog portrays the symptoms of escalation between the Asian giants very well. It is especially portent juxtaposed against the recent wikileaks revelation where India seeks U.S. intervention against an overly 'assertive' China.

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