The Hindu : 'Defence deal with China will not hurt ties with India'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 30, 2002

International

International

'Defence deal with China will not hurt ties with India'

By Haroon Habib

DHAKA Dec. 29. Bangladesh's defence deal with China, signed in Beijing recently, does not contain anything "destructive" and will not hurt ties with India, its Foreign Minister, M. Morshed Khan, has said.

Mr. Khan, while briefing presspersons on the outcome of the Prime Minister, Khaleda Zia's five-day trip to Beijing, described the agreement as "not a destructive matter", adding, "It aims to ensure timely and necessary defence cooperation and is not directed at any third country."

He said Dhaka and Beijing had signed three agreements on economic cooperation during Ms. Khaleda's visit. Facing a volley of questions on the defence deal, he said, "It is not a security pact... It is only on expanding cooperation in the defence sector. The deal is aimed at modernising the armed forces of Bangladesh. The training of troops is its main focus."

Asked if Bangladesh would purchase military hardware from China, he said, "We did not carry any shopping list. Bangladesh cannot afford expensive military hardware."

To another question, he said the accord, which could be renewed after five years, would ensure smooth and speedy defence cooperation. He, however, refused to release any copy of the accord or elaborate on its content.

About ties with India, which had soured in recent times after New Delhi alleged that Bangladesh was harbouring "anti-Indian" terrorists, Mr. Khan said his country continued its policy of cooperation with India although it had been impeded at times. "India has now realised the need for cooperation. It is an economic compulsion, not political, for which the two neighbours should pursue the policy of cooperation."

In an oblique reference to the recent comments by India against Bangladesh, he said, "Political statements don't always reflect reality. We don't know if those utterances were made to resolve their internal problems."

The Minister, who accompanied Begum Khaleda to China, said efforts would be made to form a growth quadrangle encompassing the Chinese province of Yunan, Myanmar, the seven northeastern States of India and Bangladesh under the Kunming Initiative. A direct air link between Yunan and Dhaka or Chittagong would be established "soon" to provide greater access to the Chinese markets. A road link between Kunming and Dhaka was also "under active consideration".

Diplomatic experts have laid strong emphasis on maintaining a "balance" while maintaining relations with both China and India. Shahin Afroz, an analyst, while speaking at a seminar at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies on `South Asian security and China-Bangladesh relations' remarked that the "over-enthusiasm" on the part of Bangladesh in developing relations with China may be "misunderstood" by India.

Dr. Afroz said it was India's expectation that the smaller countries of the region take into cognisance its security and strategic concerns.

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