04-07-2004, 08:12 PM
Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai
-Jyoti Malhotra in INDIAN EXPRESS, April 7, 2004
India is likely to vote in favour of China and against a US-sponsored resolution criticising the human rights situation during the ongoing UN Human Rights Conference that is taking place in Geneva. <b>While New Delhiâs decision to support Beijing is in line with its politically correct beliefs that the West has no business to interfere in another countryâs internal affairs (read, Kashmir),</b> fact is that Indiaâs support is crucial at a time when China is under the scanner especially for human rights violations in Tibet and Xinjiang (ââstrike hardââ policies have wilfully executed people daring to rebel against the State).
New Delhiâs arguments that the US is sponsoring an anti-Chinese resolution because itâs an election year at home has merit. Fact also is that the US, backed by the UK and other Western nations, is sponsoring such a resolution after a gap of a few years. Indiaâs support, meanwhile, underlines the political decision to mend fences with China. That is the underlying philosophy of the boundary talks between the two Special Representatives (Brajesh Mishra and his counterpart, Dai Bingguo), of which two rounds have been concluded. Whatever the result of the elections, and whether or not he remains Principal Secretary to the PM, as the designated SR, sources said, Mishra will continue to lead India in the boundary negotiations with China.
-Jyoti Malhotra in INDIAN EXPRESS, April 7, 2004
India is likely to vote in favour of China and against a US-sponsored resolution criticising the human rights situation during the ongoing UN Human Rights Conference that is taking place in Geneva. <b>While New Delhiâs decision to support Beijing is in line with its politically correct beliefs that the West has no business to interfere in another countryâs internal affairs (read, Kashmir),</b> fact is that Indiaâs support is crucial at a time when China is under the scanner especially for human rights violations in Tibet and Xinjiang (ââstrike hardââ policies have wilfully executed people daring to rebel against the State).
New Delhiâs arguments that the US is sponsoring an anti-Chinese resolution because itâs an election year at home has merit. Fact also is that the US, backed by the UK and other Western nations, is sponsoring such a resolution after a gap of a few years. Indiaâs support, meanwhile, underlines the political decision to mend fences with China. That is the underlying philosophy of the boundary talks between the two Special Representatives (Brajesh Mishra and his counterpart, Dai Bingguo), of which two rounds have been concluded. Whatever the result of the elections, and whether or not he remains Principal Secretary to the PM, as the designated SR, sources said, Mishra will continue to lead India in the boundary negotiations with China.