The Hindu : Pak. watching Vajpayee's China visit

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

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Pak. watching Vajpayee's China visit

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD June 23 . As the Pakistan President gets ready for his `historic' tete-a-tete with the U.S. President, George W. Bush, at Camp David tomorrow, the eyes and ears of the establishment are as firmly fixed on the ongoing China visit of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Of course Pakistan has no reasons for any serious concerns on the outcome of the extraordinary visit of Mr. Vajpayee. At the same time Islamabad is fully conscious of the impact of the growing ties between Beijing and New Delhi on its India policy in particular and South Asia in general.

"We are keeping a close watch on the China wall to read all the writings about the six-day sojourn of Mr. Vajpayee," quipped a senior official in Pakistan Foreign Office.

The issue did figure at the weekly press briefing and the spokesman, Masood Khan, sought to put a spin on the subject. He said emerging Sino-Indian ties are on a different "trajectory" and would not be at the expense of close relations between Islamabad and Beijing.

"Pakistan understands the growing relations between China and India are not at the expense of Sino-Pak ties. These relationships have different trajectories," Mr. Masood Khan, said while referring to Mr. Vajpayee's visit to China.

He said Pakistan and China have a long-standing relationship. The successive leaderships and generations of the two countries have worked with one another. We completely trust each other." Stating that China has played a constructive and positive role in South Asia, he said its relations with South Asian nations, particularly with Pakistan, has been a factor of peace and stability in the region.

He said China honoured Pakistan by inviting Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali, as the first foreign leader to Beijing to meet the new Chinese leadership. "This was a great honour for Pakistan, and it reflected the close understanding between the two countries."

Mr. Khan advised India to stop accusations of cross-border interference and asked it to engage in meaningful discussions to resolve all outstanding issues between the two countries. He was responding to an allegation by Mr. Vajpayee about cross-border interference prior to his departure for Beijing.

He said India should put an end to these statements and "try to engage each other to discuss all outstanding issues. India should avoid (making) public statements and (instead) come to the negotiating table to discuss issues of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.''

Referring to Mr. Vajpayee's visit to Beijing, the spokesman termed China's influence as very stabilising in the region. He said, "instead of Mr. Vajpayee and the Indian leadership trying to mislead Beijing we hope that China will persuade India to come to negotiating table." He also recalled the Chinese Prime Minister's recent statement calling upon the two countries to resolve their differences peacefully.

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