Date:21/06/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/06/21/stories/2007062158841500.htm

International - India & World

“We don’t believe in containing any country”

P.S. Suryanarayana

India seeking China’s support for permanent membership of U.N. as part of expansion: Pranab

SINGAPORE: India harbours “no intention” of allowing itself to be “utilised by any power to contain any other power,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Wednesday.

Answering a question on the possibility of India becoming a pawn in the U.S. gameplan to checkmate China at this stage he said, “We do not believe in containing any country, whether big or small.”

Earlier, Mr. Mukherjee delivered a public lecture organised by Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and the Institute of South Asian Studies.

Mr. Mukherjee quoted Chinese President Hu Jintao’s statement that “there is enough space for each one of us [India and China] to grow together.”

Asked whether New Delhi was now looking for reciprocity from Beijing for having campaigned for its permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, Mr. Mukherjee emphasised on the difference between India and China’s status at the U.N. A permanent seat rightly belonged to the People’s Republic of China, which India recognised as the “successor” to the Chinese state that existed at the time of the formation of the U.N. in 1945. India, in contrast, was not a founding permanent member. However, as the U.N. later underwent a “sea change,” India was now seeking China’s support for permanent membership as part of the Council expansion.

In a panoramic overview of New Delhi’s foreign policy priorities, he said, “Kashmir is part of India” and “one part of Kashmir is occupied by Pakistan.”

An effort was on to resolve this problem “in the framework of composite dialogue with Pakistan.”

On Sri Lanka Mr. Mukherjee said the acquisition of “air-striking power” by the outlawed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam “is a matter of grave concern to all those who want to fight terrorism.”

“Dialogue, not violence”

Noting that India supported the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and advocated “dialogue, not violence” as the best means to “address the legitimate aspirations of the ethnic groups, mainly Tamils,” he said, “We are still encouraging the Norwegian initiative.” India was also urging Colombo to “show flexibility” in resolving the issues at stake.

Tracing India’s interest in the “prosperity, stability and peace of Nepal,” he said two cardinal principles would continue to guide New Delhi. “We do not have any territorial ambitions, and we do not believe in exporting our ideology.”