New Delhi
7 December 2010
It's official: India will be represented by its ambassador to Norway, Banbit Roy,
at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo on December 10, when the jailed Chinese
pro-democracy activist Liu Xiaobo will be honoured in absentia.
On the day when the external affairs ministry announced Chinese premier Wen Jiabao's
three-day State visit here from December 15, the Norwegian Nobel Institute said a
majority of countries, India included, had confirmed their participation.
China had launched a diplomatic campaign warning countries that choose to attend the
ceremony of "consequences".
There was a view here that New Delhi could tread with caution, particularly given the
scheduled visit of the Chinese premier. But, as first reported by this newspaper, the
overwhelming sentiment was that India cannot be seen to be caving in to Beijing's
demands. Accordingly, it was indicated that India would be inclined to participating in the
ceremony.
Besides India, China's other neighbours such as Japan and South Korea and the 'NATO
bloc' comprising the US and its European allies will be among the 44 Oslo-based
embassies that have indicated that they will be represented at the ceremony.
Surprisingly, and this should be a cause for concern for South Block, Sri Lanka has not
replied to the invitation so far. But, equally not surprisingly, Pakistan is one of 19
countries to have declined the invitation. The others are: China, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Colombia, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Venezuela, the
Philippines, Egypt, Sudan, Ukraine, Cuba and Morocco.
While Kazakhstan, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine are NATO's partner countries in the Euro-
Atlantic Partnership Council, Tunisia, Egypt and Morocco are three of NATO's seven
partner countries in the Mediterranean.
Chinese premier Wen's visit here will come close on the heels of the conclusion of 14th
round of Sino-Indian boundary talks. The visit is expected to lead to a better mutual
understanding of each other's core concerns. Foreign secretary Nirupama Rao has said
that India expects China to show more sensitivity on core issues that impinge on India's
sovereignty and territorial integrity, such as China's role in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir
(PoK) and China's Jammu and Kashmir policy, particularly giving of stapled visas to
Indian nationals living in Jammu and Kashmir.
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