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Friday, Apr 01, 2005

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Special Representatives of India, China to meet

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE, MARCH 31. Even as the Joint Working Group (JWG) on the India-China boundary question concluded its latest round of discussions on a "positive and forward looking" note in Beijing today, the two sides agreed that their Special Representatives should meet for another round, possibly before the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao's visit to India from April 9 to 12.

The latest and 15th round of meeting under the JWG framework was co-chaired by the Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, Wu Dawei, and India's Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran, who later invited his counterpart for the next round of the now-resumed "dialogue" under the "process" of the Joint Working Group. The JWG's 14th round of talks was held nearly two and a half years ago, and the latest meeting in Beijing was preceded by talks, a day earlier, at the level of the relevant Expert Group.

`Comprehensive review'

The political preparations for Mr. Wen's imminent visit to India were discussed during the JWG talks and also during Mr. Saran's meetings with senior Chinese leaders outside this framework. Emphasising that "a comprehensive review of bilateral relations was undertaken," the Indian Embassy in Beijing said "both sides noted that [Mr. Wen's] visit would be a major landmark in upgrading our bilateral relations and would, through its outcomes, provide a global and strategic perspective to our relations."

The JWG "reviewed the ongoing process of LAC (Line of Actual Control) clarification and confidence building measures." In this particular context, the two sides "highlighted the importance of the implementation of the bilateral agreements of 1993 and 1996 for maintenance of peace and tranquillity and for furthering confidence- building measures in border areas so as to promote mutual trust and confidence, which is essential for the objective of a settlement of the boundary question."

Both sides viewed the latest "resumption of dialogue" under the JWG framework, which was established as a result of Rajiv Gandhi's visit to China in 1988, as a continuing "process." Given that, there was no exchange of maps during the "three sessions" that the Group held on this occasion, it is learnt.

As for the other significant dialogue-process, which was agreed upon by the Prime Ministers of India and China in 2003, Mr. Saran met the Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister and Special Representative, Dai Bingguo, and conveyed to him the invitation of India's new Special Representative, M. K. Narayanan, to visit India "in advance of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit." Mr. Dai "accepted the invitation with pleasure and said they look forward to meeting Mr. Narayanan and continuing dialogue in the Special Representatives process," the Indian Embassy said. Views were also exchanged on the "positive developments" under this "ongoing process" of settling the boundary question from the "overall [political] perspective of our bilateral relations", the Embassy emphasised.

Steady momentum

While "the steady momentum in our bilateral relations" formed the centre-piece of the talks between the Chinese Foreign Minister, Li Zhaoxing, and Mr. Saran, the Indian side noted that the subjects that figured during the Foreign Secretary's meeting with the Chinese State Councillor, Tang Jiaxuan, included those relating to "cooperation and coordination between the two sides on global and multilateral issues."

According to the Chinese side, Mr. Tang called for "practical actions." He suggested that the two countries "should seize the opportunity" to ensure the success of Mr. Wen's forthcoming visit to India so as to "push forward the Sino-Indian constructive partnership of cooperation with practical actions."

Praising the efforts of the JWG, Mr. Tang expressed the belief that the two countries "would find a fair, reasonable and acceptable solution to the boundary question" by proceeding from the "overall situation" and by persistent efforts at "equal consultation with mutual understanding and accommodation."

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