Indo-China border dispute on the issue of Arunachal Pradesh once again appears to have reached to the lowest ebb. Reacting angrily to the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement on Arunachal Pradesh as India’s integral part, China audaciously termed the ‘McMohan line’ illegal and accused Mukherjee of ignoring the historical facts.
The Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday strongly objected to the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement for saying “China is well aware that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.”
“The Indo-Sino boundary issue has never been officially settled, and China is always against the illegal McMohan line,” said the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson, Qin Gang at a biweekly press conference in Beijing.
He further said that China’s stand on border issue had always been consistent and unambiguous, and was not likely to change her stand for the sake of reaching a settlement over border demarcation.
The Indian side knows it very well that both the present and past governments in China have never recognised the “illegal” McMahon line, he added.
Qin’s remarks is in sharp contrast to the prior statements issued by Indian officials including foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon, who have maintained that border dispute between the two countries is almost on the verge of settlement, and dispute remained barely on the Tawang, a small portion of the Arunachal.
Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to Arunachal Pradesh at the 8th Buddha Mahotsava, Tawang, November 9, 2008, had said: “The Chinese side is fully aware that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.”
He had also said that China often made claims on Arunachal Pradesh, but the state had a special place in India’s heart. The question of parting Arunachal or any of its part did not arise.
He, however, said that both countries were keen to find a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable" solution to the boundary question.
Also Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his visit to Arunachal Pradesh early this year had said: "The sun kisses India first in Arunachal Pradesh. It is our land of rising sun.”
McMohan line is the demarcation line between India and China since 1919, when it was drawn on the basis of Simla Conference. However, China has been raising question on its legality.
|
|
Comments:
