A
file photo of Manmohan Singh with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao.
For the first time in these years, India has taken the unusual step of
postponing border talks with China.
NEW DELHI: India took the unusual step of postponing boundary talks with China
scheduled for next week. Though no reasons were given, sources hinted
the decision was taken at the highest levels of the government. This is
the first time in all these years that the boundary talks have been
postponed.
In a cryptic statement, MEA spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said, "We are looking forward to the 15th round of Special Representative talks in the near future and the two sides remain in touch to find convenient dates for the meeting." China's envoy Dai Bingguo was scheduled to be in India for the 15th round of special representatives' talks with Shivshankar Menon, national security adviser, starting November 28. While some sources said it was a scheduling problem, the fact that India called off the talks just two days before the dialogue indicated the issue was more serious.
The last-minute postponement raised eyebrows here. The SRs were scheduled to discuss and set in place a mechanism to maintain peace and tranquility on the border pending a settlement. During the recent meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, the boundary issue had come up for discussion, where the two leaders were reportedly looking forward to establish the new initiative.
However, Indian government sources had indicated that China's position on Jammu & Kashmir was a point of growing concern for New Delhi. The dissonance between the two sides happened after the East Asia Summit in Bali. Sources said the Chinese side had raised some demands that India found unacceptable. But both sides were keeping mum on the issue.
In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson too was vague. Responding to a journalist's question on the upcoming border talks, he said, "Currently, the two sides are still in touch on the specific arrangements including the date of the meeting and I do not have information at this stage."
The SRs are working on developing a framework for the settlement of the boundary dispute. It will be on the basis of this framework that the actual border contours will be drawn.
In a cryptic statement, MEA spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said, "We are looking forward to the 15th round of Special Representative talks in the near future and the two sides remain in touch to find convenient dates for the meeting." China's envoy Dai Bingguo was scheduled to be in India for the 15th round of special representatives' talks with Shivshankar Menon, national security adviser, starting November 28. While some sources said it was a scheduling problem, the fact that India called off the talks just two days before the dialogue indicated the issue was more serious.
The last-minute postponement raised eyebrows here. The SRs were scheduled to discuss and set in place a mechanism to maintain peace and tranquility on the border pending a settlement. During the recent meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, the boundary issue had come up for discussion, where the two leaders were reportedly looking forward to establish the new initiative.
However, Indian government sources had indicated that China's position on Jammu & Kashmir was a point of growing concern for New Delhi. The dissonance between the two sides happened after the East Asia Summit in Bali. Sources said the Chinese side had raised some demands that India found unacceptable. But both sides were keeping mum on the issue.
In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson too was vague. Responding to a journalist's question on the upcoming border talks, he said, "Currently, the two sides are still in touch on the specific arrangements including the date of the meeting and I do not have information at this stage."
The SRs are working on developing a framework for the settlement of the boundary dispute. It will be on the basis of this framework that the actual border contours will be drawn.
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