New Delhi, July 23 – Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said with the opening of Nathu La Pass as a point for Sino-India border trade the Sikkim will gradually cease to be an issue between the two countries and reiterated that there was no change in New Delhi’s stand on Tibet.
“The memorandum on border trade through Nathu La Pass on the India-China boundary is a significant development. This adds a third point of crossing for border trade between India and China. With this, we have also started the process by which Sikkim will cease to be an issue between the two countries,” Vajpayee told the Lok Sabha.
The Prime Minister was making a suo motu statement on his visits to Germany, Russia, France and China.
“I would like to assure that there is no change in our decade-old policy. We have never doubted that the Tibet Autonomous Region is a part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China. There can, therefore, be no argument against reiterating it. We have said nothing new about the presence of the Dalai Lama or his Tibetan refugees in India,” he said.
The Prime Minister said both he and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao agreed that the joint work on the clarification of the Line of Actual Control should continue smoothly and that peace and tranquility in the border areas be maintained. He said the India-China Joint Decalaration had given a new momentum to the settlement of the boundary question between the two countries.
For exploring the framework of the boundary settlement from the political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship, the two countries appointed Special Representatives for this purpose.
National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra will represent India and China has appointed senior-most Vice Foreign Minister Dai Binggou as its representative, he added.
Vajpayee said the Joint Decalaration outlined the principles and shared perspectives which will guide the future development of bilateral relations. “It also confirms the commitment of our two countries to work more closely together internationally to strengthen the trend towards multi-polarity, on WTO issues and on other areas of concern to developing countries,” he added.
The Prime Minister said the two sides also decided to set up a Joint Study Group (JSG) to identify potential complimentarities in bilateral economic cooperation. The JSG will recommend to both governments concrete measures to increase trade, promote investments and encourage greater cooperation between the business communities of the two countries, he added.
“We also decided to set up a financial dialogue and cooperation mechanism to strengthen our coordination in this sector,” he said.
Vajpayee said the Chinese side also agreed to consider his suggestion for opening up of additional routes for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. He said the cultural relationship between the two countries received a new impetus during his visit. “The twin objectives of my visit — to establish close relations with the new Chinese leadership and to impart fresh momentum to our increasingly diversified cooperation — were fulfilled. We have agreed to a wide-ranging, mutually beneficial engagement with China even while simultaneously addressing our differences through amicable discussions,” the Prime Minister said.
On his visit to Germany, Vajpayee said he had useful discussions with the German leadership on expanding and intensifying bilateral relations. There was a detailed exchange of views on regional and international issues as well, he added.
“Germany sees the need for uncompromising global action against the scourge of terrorism wherever it occurs and against whomever it is directed,” the Prime Minister said.
He said the investment opportunities in India and the wide- ranging complimentarities between the two countries, which encourage greater scientific and technological cooperation, were highlighted during the visit.
“We value our continuing high-level contacts with Germany as one of our most important interlocutors in the European Union, a member of G-8 and currently on the Security Council. In line with our agreement to have annual summit meetings, we look forward to welcoming Chancellor Schroeder in India next year,” he added.
