The Hindu : International : Avoid "divisive debate" on U.N. Council: China

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Thursday, Jun 09, 2005

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International

Avoid "divisive debate" on U.N. Council: China

Nirupama Subramanian

Understands India's stance; "reforms are bigger"

BEIJING: China does not want the debate on United Nations reform to be hijacked by the single and "divisive" issue of the expansion of the Security Council, a senior Chinese official said on Wednesday.

Shen Guofang, Assistant Foreign Minister, told a group of South Asian journalists visiting here on an invitation from the Chinese Government that "we should avoid concentrating on Security Council reforms as it had become a point of tension and divisions in the world."

"We understand India's desire to play a bigger role in the United Nations, but reform of the Security Council is only one aspect of the U.N. reform, which has several other aspects. We hope equal seriousness will be given to all these aspects," Mr. Shen said during an interaction with the journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.

India has canvassed Beijing's support for its candidature in an expanded Security Council. China has so far avoided taking an unequivocal official position on the issue apart from saying that as one of the fastest developing nations India should have a bigger voice in the international arena.

During his visit to India in April, Premier Wen Jiabao reiterated this position; India has read in this the nuance that China supports its candidature but cannot say so openly.

In his interaction with the journalists from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh, Mr. Shen emphasised that China was in favour of enlarging the Security Council in order to give representation and voice to developing countries and to medium and small countries. But this had to be done only through consultation and consensus among all countries.

The Minister, who is in the second tier of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hierarchy, said China set great store on furthering its strategic and economic cooperation with India.

"It is our great hope that we can further strengthen our bilateral ties so we can play a greater role together in international affairs," Mr. Shen said. He described the strategic partnership put in place by both countries during Mr. Wen's visit to India as an "important achievement."

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