India - India, China discuss disarmament, non-proliferation

Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna yesterday met with Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Yang Jiechi in Moscow. The two sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral cooperation and international and regional issues of common concern.

According to official sources, India and China decided to resume dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation and also discussed the plight of two Indian traders stuck in China due to a commercial dispute.

The talks, held on the sidelines of the RIC meet, lasted for an hour, official sources said. Both leaders also stressed the need for an early meeting on the Maritime Dialogue, sources said, adding they also felt that the contours of the dialogues on Central Asia, West Asia and Africa should be finalised soon.

Official sources said Krishna sought a speedy and satisfactory resolution to the issue of the two Indian traders in China, to which Yang said that he takes seriously the concerns raised by the Indian leader and recalled that the matter had been raised with him earlier too.

The two traders--Deepak Raheja and Shyam Sunder Agrawal--are currently stuck in China due to a commercial dispute.

The Ministers also agreed to resume the India-China dialogue on Disarmament and Non Proliferation, the sources said.

The two ministers also reviewed the activities chalked out for the Year of India-China Friendship and Cooperation.

China has assured Krishna that it will encourage its companies to invest in infrastructure projects in India.

Sources said there was a wide-ranging discussion on various issues which were on the agenda of the United Nations Security Council, including Syria and North Korea.

"They agreed that it was important for the Permanent Missions in New York to work together on these issues in the next few days,” sources added.

According to official sources, the two sides decided on an early meeting and Yang said the Chinese side is willing to make joint efforts with India to strengthen political mutual trust, respect and care for each other’s core interests and major concerns and properly handle sensitive issues.

Meanwhile, Russia, China and India (RIC) today called all parties in the standoff over North Korea to show restraint after the reclusive state’s failed rocket launch sparked global concern.

"We are convinced that the reaction to these challenges needs to be exclusively diplomatic and political,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said alongside his Chinese and Indian counterparts in Moscow. "We call on all parties to show maximum responsibility and restraint and to make efforts for a renewal of six party talks.”

Yang Jiechi said at a news conference alongside Lavrov that Beijing was “concerned by North Korea’s decision” and expressed hope that "the corresponding sides can show restraint”.

"We hope that the corresponding sides, by supporting and restoring dialogue, will promote mutual understanding through joint efforts and promote the six-party process,” he added, speaking through an interpreter.

Simran Sodhi

The Statesman

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