The Hindu : Focus on improving ties with China, says Natwar Singh

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 24, 2003

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Focus on improving ties with China, says Natwar Singh

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JUNE 23. While welcoming the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to China, senior Congress leader, Natwar Singh, has advised policy makers to discount the Sino-Pak. factor while seeking to improve ties with Beijing.

"I do not attach much importance to what Pakistan and America think about India's relations with China. Our relations with China are bilateral. How does it matter to us what relations are there between China and Pakistan, let those relations exist, we should work on better relations between India and China,'' said Mr. Singh while speaking on the BBC's special phone-in programme.

When asked about China's stand on Kashmir, he wanted India to focus on improving ties with China and "not worry about this.''

Moreover, he detected a subtle change in Chinese statements on Kashmir.

The U.S. stand on Kashmir did not entirely coincide with New Delhi's perception, yet bilateral ties with Washington were warm.

On China's policy in the past of being aggressive towards India, he said: "in the last 12 to 14 years there has been no tension between the two countries, there has been silence on the borders.''

The former Foreign Minister was hopeful of the Sino-Indian border dispute being solved in due course but did not want policy planners to rush on this issue.

"In the last 25 to 30 years, China has solved border disputes with Russia, Vietnam and Burma.... trade ties should be enhanced first and with time, differences on contentious issues could be solved.''

He was not in agreement with Indian leaders trying for a permanent seat in the U.N. Security Council on every foreign visit.

"It does not seem proper for a big country like ours. I feel that we should not try too much and concentrate on getting the seat through our own efforts.''

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