The Hindu : International : China confirms backing India on U.N. seat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 15, 2005

International

International

China confirms backing India on U.N. seat

Diplomatic Correspondent

NEW DELHI: What India said on Monday was confirmed by China on Tuesday.

On Monday, the Foreign Secretary, Shyam Saran, told presspersons that the Chinese side would be happy to see India obtain a berth in the United Nations' Security Council.

Since this "support" did not figure explicitly in the joint statement, doubts were raised in sections of the press that India was "over-interpreting" the point made during the talks between Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Wen Jiabao.

On Tuesday, the official Chinese Xinhua news agency, however, explicitly confirmed what the Foreign Secretary had said the previous day. "Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here on Tuesday China supports India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council ... He [Mr. Wen] said he had conveyed the support to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during their talks here," said the New Delhi-datelined Xinhua report.

Senior officials said here on Wednesday that the Chinese side had conveyed to the Indians that the whole process of United Nations' reforms remained uncertain and that they had problems with Japan's candidature.

Briefing presspersons on Monday, the Foreign Secretary said: "On the issue of India's candidature for the U.N. Security Council, every indication was given during the talks that China would welcome India's emergence as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. So, we have every reason to be quite satisfied with the results of the visit."

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