The Hindu : National : SAARC: no reservations about China, Japan

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Friday, Dec 09, 2005

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SAARC: no reservations about China, Japan

Special Correspondent

Obligations, rights to be settled at ministerial meet: Manmohan

No proposal to admit Myanmar Afghanistan going through a rough patch

NEW DELHI: India has no reservations about China and Japan being granted observer status in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. "But the question is one has specific obligations and rights which go with the observer status and that are to be settled at the next ministerial meeting [of the SAARC in July 2006]," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Thursday.

He was replying to a supplementary in the Rajya Sabha by Yashwant Sinha (BJP), who said there was an impression that Nepal sponsored China's case and asked whether India welcomed its entry or had reservations. To a question by Ram Jethmalani (Ind.) whether India raised the issue of restoration of the Bamiyan Buddha statues ravaged by the Taliban, the Prime Minister said Afghanistan was going through a difficult period and its government and people needed "our sympathy and support." The issue was raised during his talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and "all thinking people of Afghanistan realise it was a sad episode.''

To another question, Dr. Singh said India had raised with Pakistan the issue of allowing transportation of goods to Afghanistan. Kabul too raised the issue.

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