Beijing rules out triangular alliance

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, APRIL 30. China supports gradual evolvement of trilateral cooperation with Russia and India but rules out a triangular alliance, the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, said after his talks with Russian leaders on Sunday.

``We should move step-by-step, in a planned, gradual manner towards identifying common interests,'' Mr. Tang, who is in Moscow to prepare a visit by the Chinese President, Mr. Jiang Jemin, in July, and finalise a new political treaty with Russia, to be signed at the coming summit, told presspersons.

Describing reports about Russia, China and India forming a triangle as untrue, he said ``as far as I know, China has no such intention, neither does Russia, and it is unlikely that India has such plans.''

Moscow's proposal for triangular cooperation between the three countries was reiterated by the Russian Foreign Ministry Chief Spokesman, Mr. Alexander Yakovenko, in an interview to The Hindu over the weekend.

However, Mr. Tang came out against Government-level contacts in trilateral format `at this stage.'

``Time has not come yet to involve Government agencies in setting up some sort of mechanism (for trilateral cooperation)... At this stage, our foreign policy scholars could hold a symposium to discuss these issues,'' he said.

It was announced earlier this month that experts from Russia, India and China would meet in September in Moscow to discuss trilateral ties.

Uzbekistan to join Shanghai Five

Uzbekistan, not Pakistan, was likely to join the Shanghai Five - a regional security grouping set up five years ago by Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, Mr. Tang said.

Uzbekistan's entry had been discussed at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Five in Moscow last week.

``We have reached a consensus on the issue,'' the Minister said.

He did not reveal the nature of the consensus but it is understood that the five member-States of the Shanghai Five had approved Uzbekistan's admission. The group may become Shanghai Six early this year, at its summit in China in mid-June.

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Section  : International
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