Something is finally afoot.
Adjustments needed to solve border disputes: Mukherjee
The Indian government Wednesday said there will be “some adjustments here and there” to resolve the country’s border disputes with neighbouring countries even as it drew parallels between Arunachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Pointing out that special representatives were engaged in dialogue with China over the border disputes, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said: **“Border is on the land and not in the sky - when you finally arrive at conclusions, some adjustments will take place here and there.” Mukherjee was responding to a point raised by Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani, who wanted the government’s reaction to Chinese envoy Sun Yuxi’s alleged remarks in a media interview last month that New Delhi and Beijing had been “actively negotiating” the dispute over some portions of Arunachal Pradesh. The minister said that India had been holding discussions with Pakistan over their border though the Indian parliament had passed a resolution saying that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India. **“If it becomes the condition that it (any state) has been declared as an integral part of the country, then it is not negotiable… Then there is no point in having discussions on Jammu and Kashmir because parliament has passed a resolution declaring it as the integral part of India,” Mukherjee said. Advani said the envoy who had created a controversy on the eve of Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to India in November stating that Arunachal Pradesh was a part of China, said in Chandigarh that the two countries were negotiating the dispute over some parts of the northeastern state.
Mukherjee said India already had taken up the issue with China. It is true that China has not accepted the Mac Mahon Line demarcated between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet." "That is the point of discussion between the special representatives of India and China. They are having regular discussions. And in the course of these discussions, various proposals and counter-proposals are there. “But unless things are finally agreed upon, nobody discloses it. And I do not know what prompted the Chinese ambassador to disclose this. This is not a normal matter. The matter is being taken up not only here, but at the mission level also,” he said. Stating that China has “from time to time raised the Arunachal Pradesh issue”, Mukhejee said: “Even during (then prime minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayee’s visit in 2003, the issue was raised by the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson.” He said the special representative was appointed by the Vajpayee government to discuss the border dispute. “Whether it is acceptable or not, this is the issue being discussed by the two special representatives”. He also warned the opposition. “Let’s not get too excited on the issue. These (the negotiations between the special representatives over the border disputes) are institutional arrangements. Let them function. Let’s not get excited if some envoy says something.” Provoked by Mukherjee’s comparison between Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, Advani said: “I am afraid that the statement has brought an issue which is more touchy… I have raised an issue of propriety (whether the envoy could make such a remark). But you said Arunachal Pradesh is negotiable.” A red-faced Mukherjee immediately stood up and said: “Do not put words in my mouth. I have not said so.” Advani said the government should reassure the people of Arunachal Pradesh that it is an integral part of India and that the Chinese envoy should be warned against making such remarks. Mukherjee reiterated that the state was an integral part of the country and the issue was “not debatable”.