04-11-2005, 09:55 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>China gets business, India moves on border </b>
Press Trust of India/ New Delhi
In ground-breaking steps to upgrade their ties, India and China on Monday agreed to work out an early "package settlement" of the vexed boundary question by making "mutually acceptable adjustments" as Beijing categorically accepted Sikkim as part of India.
Making it clear that they were not rivals but partners, the two countries also decided to establish a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.
After over two-hour talks here, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao signed a Joint Statement and witnessed the signing of 12 accords, including a protocol on modalities for implementation of confidence building measures in the military field along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and another on upgrading air links.
The agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the boundary question, signed by Special Representatives MK Narayanan, national security adviser and Senior Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, said the two sides should in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding "make meaningful and mutually acceptable adjustments" to their respective positions on the boundary question.
This is to arrive at a "package settlement" which is "final" covering all sectors of the India-China boundary, said the agreement which outlined 11 political parameters and guiding principles to resolve the vexed issue that has bedevilled bilateral ties for over four decades.
Putting behind one of the irritants in bilateral ties, the Chinese side gave a categorical acceptance of Sikkim being part of India, foreign secretary Shyam Saran said.
He said the Chinese side handed over to India an official map, which shows Sikkim within the boundary of India.
Saran quoted the Chinese side as saying that "it (Sikkim) is no longer an issue in India-China relations. We have put it behind us."
On its part, India said it recognized the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) as part of China's territory and would not allow Tibetans to engage in anti-China political activities on its soil.
Declaring that differences on the boundary question should not be allowed to affect the overall development of bilateral ties, the two sides decided to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the vexed issue through consultations on an "equal footing".
Outlining 11 political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the boundary question, the two sides agreed that the boundary should be along "well-defined and easily identifiable" natural geographical features to be mutually agreed upon.
The Joint Statement said both sides were convinced that an "early settlement of the boundary question will advance the basic interests of the two countries and should, therefore, be pursued as a strategic objective."
The two sides agreed to complete the process of exchanging maps indicating their respective perceptions of the entire alignment of the LAC to arrive at a "common understanding" as soon as possible.
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Press Trust of India/ New Delhi
In ground-breaking steps to upgrade their ties, India and China on Monday agreed to work out an early "package settlement" of the vexed boundary question by making "mutually acceptable adjustments" as Beijing categorically accepted Sikkim as part of India.
Making it clear that they were not rivals but partners, the two countries also decided to establish a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.
After over two-hour talks here, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao signed a Joint Statement and witnessed the signing of 12 accords, including a protocol on modalities for implementation of confidence building measures in the military field along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and another on upgrading air links.
The agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the boundary question, signed by Special Representatives MK Narayanan, national security adviser and Senior Executive Vice Foreign Minister Dai Bingguo, said the two sides should in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding "make meaningful and mutually acceptable adjustments" to their respective positions on the boundary question.
This is to arrive at a "package settlement" which is "final" covering all sectors of the India-China boundary, said the agreement which outlined 11 political parameters and guiding principles to resolve the vexed issue that has bedevilled bilateral ties for over four decades.
Putting behind one of the irritants in bilateral ties, the Chinese side gave a categorical acceptance of Sikkim being part of India, foreign secretary Shyam Saran said.
He said the Chinese side handed over to India an official map, which shows Sikkim within the boundary of India.
Saran quoted the Chinese side as saying that "it (Sikkim) is no longer an issue in India-China relations. We have put it behind us."
On its part, India said it recognized the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) as part of China's territory and would not allow Tibetans to engage in anti-China political activities on its soil.
Declaring that differences on the boundary question should not be allowed to affect the overall development of bilateral ties, the two sides decided to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the vexed issue through consultations on an "equal footing".
Outlining 11 political parameters and guiding principles for the settlement of the boundary question, the two sides agreed that the boundary should be along "well-defined and easily identifiable" natural geographical features to be mutually agreed upon.
The Joint Statement said both sides were convinced that an "early settlement of the boundary question will advance the basic interests of the two countries and should, therefore, be pursued as a strategic objective."
The two sides agreed to complete the process of exchanging maps indicating their respective perceptions of the entire alignment of the LAC to arrive at a "common understanding" as soon as possible.
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