New Delhi
18 November 2009
India categorically ruled out third-party intervention in her ties with Pakistan,
rejecting any hint of suggestion contained in Tuesday's US-China Joint Statement that
Washington may welcome Beijing's role in improving relations between the two South
Asian neighbours.
In an uncharacteristically terse but prompt rejoinder, New Delhi reminded Washington
and Beijing in one go that Indo-Pak relations is no-go for third parties and that three is
indeed a crowd.
Ministry of External Affairs Spokesman Vishnu Prakash said here Wednesday that India
is committed to resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through a peaceful
bilateral dialogue in accordance with the Simla Agreement.
"A third country role cannot be envisaged nor is it necessary. We also believe that a
meaningful dialogue with Pakistan can take place only in an environment free from terror
or the threat of terror," Mr Prakash said.
The joint statement issued in Beijing after talks between US President Barack Obama
and Chinese President Hu Jintao said that the US and China "support the efforts of
Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight terrorism, maintain domestic stability and achieve
sustainable economic and social development, and support the improvement and growth
of relations between India and Pakistan[.]"
Obama was to elaborate later at a joint press conference with Hu that the US and China
have agreed to work together to bring about stable and peaceful relations in all of South
Asia.
It brought back memories of 1998 when, soon after India conducted nuclear tests, the
then US President Bill Clinton and the former Chinese President Jiang Zemin issued a
statement expressing the commitment of the US and China to help peacefully resolve the
difficult and long-standing differences between India and Pakistan, including the pending
issue of Kashmir.
New Delhi's response to the latest US-China Joint Statement was particularly striking,
coming as it does barely days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh travels to
Washington as Obama's state guest.
US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer evaded a straight reply when he was asked
about the US-China Joint Statement at a press conference he addressed here
Wednesday.
"I have not really taken a close look at the joint statement at this point. The two
countries (US and China) have said they would work for a more stable and peaceful
relationship between the countries in South Asia. I think that is a very positive statement
to make," he said.
In a diplomatic trapeze act, Roemer went on to suggest that while India and the US
enjoyed "historically close" relations, the US will keep an eye out for the "prosperous
and peaceful rise" of China.
He described the India-US relationship as one of the most important relationships for the
world and noted that Prime Minister Singh would be the first foreign leader to receive
State honour in Washington during Obama's presidency.
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