New Delhi
22 November 2010
In a move that will likely ruffle China's feathers, India might be inclined to join
the US, the UK, Germany, France and others in attending the Nobel Peace Prize
ceremony to be held in Oslo, Norway, on December 10.
The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the jailed Chinese pro-democracy
activist Liu Xiaobo, but China has warned of "consequences" for countries that choose to
grace the ceremony.
Although the Indian ambassador to Norway, Mr Banbit Roy, was waiting Monday for
instructions from New Delhi, sources told this newspaper that the Indian government is
not unfavourably inclined to the invitation.
There was no official word though, as South Block was still making an assessment.
There is a view that New Delhi should tread with caution, but at the same time it cannot
be seen to be caving in to Beijing. There are a host of other issues that New Delhi needs
to factor in, too.
India could still do what Russia or Indonesia has done: ensure that its envoy will not be
in Norway at the time. Or, it can hope for postponement or cancellation of the
presentation of the award prize.
The fate of the ceremony hangs in balance because the Norwegian Nobel Institute may
have to defer the presentation of the award if any member of Liu's close family is not
present in Oslo to receive it.
The last time the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize had to be deferred was in 1936
when Adolf Hitler prevented German journalist and pacifist Carl von Ossietzky from
accepting it.
Yang Jianli, a Harvard-based campaigner for democracy who recently visited India, is
hoping to have empty seats on the stage "as a reminder to the whole world of the
situation in China".
But even as South Block maintains a discreet silence, the Nobel Institute is understood
to have let it be known that the ceremony is on course and that the Indian envoy can be
expected to attend it.
The Institute invited 58 ambassadors based in Oslo but China, Russia, Iraq, Kazakhstan,
Morocco, Cuba, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines had since declined the invitation.
However, most Western countries, including the US, the UK, France, Germany, Japan,
Sweden and the Netherlands, have confirmed their attendance.
There will be an Indian flavour to the Nobel ceremony this year as Oscar winning
musician AR Rahman will join other artistes to perform at the concert on December 11.
Besides the award ceremony, the programme includes a banquet on December 10 and a
concert the next day.
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