China for consensus on settling boundary row

By C. Raja Mohan

BEIJING, SEPT. 12. China could be looking for an early settlement of the boundary dispute but is not sure if there is a political consensus in New Delhi in favour of one. Official sources here are signalling China's readiness to move forward on the long- festering dispute. But they are also raising an important

question. With so many political parties having a say on the issue, is India prepared to speak with one voice?

A Chinese Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Wang Yi, acknowledged that the Vajpayee Government ``is very keen to resolve the boundary dispute, but I am trying to figure out if there is a consensus in India''.

In a conversation with two visiting Indian journalists, Mr. Wang was addressing the question whether there would be a movement on the boundary dispute in the planned high- level political exchanges in the coming months.

The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, is due to be here next month for a wide-ranging discussion of political issues. The Chinese Premier, Mr. Zhu Rongji, is likely to visit India in November and the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, may pay an early return visit to Beijing.

Mr. Wang suggested that the boundary dispute could figure in these talks that may indeed create an appropriate environment for an eventual final settlement. But each of these important visits ``would have its own focus'', Mr. Wang said.

In the last year and a half, India has been pressing China for an early settlement of the boundary question. Mr. Wang said such an outcome ``would benefit both countries'', but pointed to the importance of two ``favourable conditions'' that must exist. One, according to Mr. Wang, is the existence of ``political consensus in both countries'' and the other is ``an agreement on the principles of a settlement''.

In a reference to the situation in India, which had seen a frequent change of Governments, Mr. Wang said, ``whenever boundary negotiations are initiated, it will take some time''. China was not sure, he suggested, if the Indian political establishment had arrived at a domestic consensus that would be required to sustain the difficult negotiations. Talking about the other element necessary for a final settlement, Mr. Wang indicated that ``mutual understanding and mutual accommodation'' was the key. Here again, he said, ``I am not sure if this principle is agreed to by our Indian friends''.

Pressed to comment on the suggestion that there might be a favourable political moment now to go for a final settlement of the boundary dispute, he said, ``When the opportunity arises we will grasp it. However, if the opportunities or conditions are not mature, we can wait.''

But he pointed out that the two countries were ``not waiting in a passive way''. He underlined that peace and tranquillity on the border had been maintained and that the process of clarification of the Line of Actual Control had been accelerated.

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