border issue - Let's talk, says China, with feet in Arunachal

may 31st, 2007

invertebrates!

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From: third

Barbed diplomacy On Tuesday, China advocated a reasonable settlement of the row over Arunachal Pradesh The suggestion is paradoxical considering Beijing refused to grant a visa to an IAS officer from Arunachal; China claims the state as its territory India retaliated by cancelling the visit of more than 100 IAS officers to China Normally, India would have kept any Arunachali resident out of a delegation to China. The inclusion may be India's expression of displeasure over the neighbour's bellicose stand China added mockery to the consternation it is causing to India over Arunachal Pradesh by declaring on Tuesday that bilateral differences should not be over played and advocating a fair and reasonable settlement of the boundary row. The suggestion is paradoxical considering that Beijing refused to grant a visa to an IAS officer from Arunachal because China claims the state as its territory.

"We hold that the boundary issue between China and India should be settled fairly and reasonably at an early date through friendly consultations," China's foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu was quoted as saying by news agencies.

Jiang was reacting to New Delhi's decision to cancel the visit of more than 100 IAS officers to China in response to Beijing's denial of visa to Gonesh Koyu.

Asked to comment on this, Jiang said: "China welcomes the friendly exchanges between the two nations." Her later parry included: "We welcome the Indian personnel to visit China and participate in the training programme."

Normally, India would have discreetly kept any Arunachali resident out of a delegation to China. Delhi recognises that China does not grant visas to Arunachal citizens on government tours. But on this occasion Koyu was included deliberately.

China's bellicose stand on Arunachal Pradesh, which it has assumed since November, has displeased India. That month, Sun Yuxi, China's ambassador to India, had claimed the entire state as part of China. The announcement came on the eve of China President Hu Jintao's visit to India. A senior official said India feels China's refusal to grant a visa violated the spirit of an agreement the two sides signed to improve ties despite the boundary issue.

For its part, China was surprised by India's decision to call off the visit of the IAS officers. It is apparently keen that a way out is found to overcome what it believes is a 'technical problem'.

The Chinese are indicating that they are not averse to allowing Koyu an entry permit.

This means he can visit China, but unlike the other delegates, he will not have the visa stamp endorsed in his passport. Instead, he would be provided with a separate entry book let. But India is in no mood to accept the Chinese offer.

However, with Manmohan Singh scheduled to visit China later this year, the current coldness between the two countries will not lead to an overall freeze in the relationship.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee recently met Yanch Jiechi, his ministerial counterpart in China, during an Asia-Europe meeting in Hamburg.

During a 40-minute discussion, the two agreed that special representatives will continue with their work with the encouragement and guidance of the political leadership.

They also reviewed the MoU for defence cooperation (2006) and said dates would be determined for the annual meeting of the defence dialogue mechanism.