OT (Overseas Topic) India gives China a piece of its mind

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India gives China a piece of its mind

The Times of India News Service
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NEW DELHI: India and China both talked tough in the first-ever security dialogue which ended in Beijing late Tuesday. Despite known differences on the nuclear issue, the good news is that the two sides are talking directly to each other. This gives both sides an opportunity to air their concerns and explain their point of view.

China is the only member of the exclusive club which has refused to come to terms with India's nuclear programme insisting on a total roll-back and capping of the facilities. US, Britain, France and Russia have now accepted the fact that India and Pakistan are nuclear states and a way out must be found to accommodate the two countries. All five nuclear weapon states want India and Pakistan to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

China, which sees India emerging as a rival pole in Asia has refused to change its original hardline stand. It regards India as a threat to its growing military and economic clout. In fact, during US Secretary of State Strobe Talbott's visit to China recently, he was told to get President Clinton to push India to comply on the nuclear issue. For Beijing, Resolution 1172 passed by the Security Council soon after the tit-for-tat tests in South Asia, still holds good.

While China let India get a earful on rolling back its nuclear programme, India needled China over its help to Pakistan's nuclear and missile programmes. Indian officials pointed out that this help had an adverse effect on regional stability and prompted India to respond in a ``responsible and restrained manner.''

Indian officials explained that each country has the ``sovereign right'' to decide on its security requirements. New Delhi cannot be dictated by other

nations on this. India had decided to go for a ``minimum nuclear deterrent'' and other countries including China could not question this.

India reminded China that sensitivity to each others security concerns was essential for a productive dialogue.

After letting off steam, both sides finally agreed to disagree on certain vital issues, but keep the dialogue going. The next round of talks is scheduled in New Delhi, though the date has not been fixed.

) Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 2000.



-- Possible Impact (posim@hotmail.com), March 08, 2000

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