The Hindu : India, China representatives to settle LAC issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2003

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India, China representatives to settle LAC issue

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI JULY 29. The External Affairs Minister, Yashwant Sinha, today clarified that the differences between India and China in relation to the Line of Actual Control in the North East had persisted over the years, as the line has not been delineated.

The two countries have nominated their representatives to sort out the issue.

He was talking about the recent ``incursion'' by a group of Chinese into areas regularly patrolled by Indian troops in Arunachal Pradesh leading to a face-off between the Chinese and an Indian patrol.

Mr. Sinha was addressing the Bharatiya Janata Party's weekly parliamentary party meeting this morning.

The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, and the BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu, were present as were a large number of party MPs.

Later talking to reporters, the BJP spokesperson, V.K. Malhotra, said that Mr. Sinha told the MPs that even earlier it had been decided that ``if ever'' Indian and Chinese found themselves ``face-to-face'' they should not open fire but withdraw and then sort the matter out through diplomatic channels.

He suggested that recently something had slipped up somewhere and an ``incident'' had taken place.

Mr. Advani told the MPs that Vijay Divas (celebration of Kargil victory) was not observed because the Army had pointed out that each year only one day was celebrated as Vijay Divas and that was the anniversary of victory in Bangladesh in 1971. The Army was the view that there was no need for another Vijay Divas.

The Prime Minister informed the party about his telephonic conversation with the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, saying that he had told her it was not right for her to demand the dismissal of any Union Minister — it was a reference to her demand for the dismissal of the Union Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister, Jagmohan, in relation to the Taj Heritage Corridor controversy — as they would be there as long as they enjoyed his trust.

In the morning, Mr. Vajpayee told party MPs that while Ms. Mayawati wanted the alliance in Uttar Pradesh to continue she insisted that Mr. Jagmohan should be sacked.

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