Sort out LAC problem as soon as possible -- China

Sort out LAC problem as soon as possible -- China
JYOTI MALHOTRA

New Delhi, January 15: Chinese leader Li Peng pleasantly surprised the Indian leadership by departing from the usual script on bilateral relations and asserting voluntarily that the process of clarification of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) ``should be completed as soon as possible.''

Rarely has a Chinese leader of high standing, certainly not in recent past, voluntarily spoken in favour of resolving the LAC -- an issue new Delhi desires as much as Beijing wants to postpone and relegate to the background.

The significance of today's statement, made by the powerful Chinese leader in talks with Prime Minister A B Vajpayee, also comes in the wake of the first time exchange of maps in the LAC's middle sector in November, seven long years after both sides agreed, in a PM-level agreement, that mutual differences over the LAC need to be ironed out.

Analysts pointed out that Li's unusual gesture in raising the LAC clarification had been preceded by the statement that ``India and China share many ideas in the political sphere on multipolarity as well as economic globalisation.''

By coupling the two big ideas, Li could be signalling that Beijing was willing to move on the clarification of the LAC, but that it also wanted a better understanding of New Delhi's mind on pressing issues like multi-polarity and economic globalisation.

Analysts pointed out that the relatively quick end to India's international isolation after its nuclear tests in mid-1998 -- welcomed by none other than Bill Clinton and other leaders of the permanent-five nations -- had had a powerful impact on China. One of Beijing's constant worries today, analysts added, was whether India would gradually be lured into the ``western'' camp.

The powerful Chinese leader was meeting Prime Minister A B Vajpayee this morning, his last engagement in the capital before he flew out to Bangalore and Mysore to take a look at the strides Indian entrepreneurs had made in the software industry.

The meeting lasted some thirty minutes and by all accounts, the atmosphere was ``very friendly and very cordial.'' Analysts pointed out that Li had fulfilled the mission for which he had asked to come to India -- the Chinese had pressed the Indian establishment for early dates -- telling the PM during his meeting that India and China shared many ideas and inviting him to China on behalf of premier Zhu Rongji.

Li, straddling the old and new Chinas, was also Prime Minister at the time both Rajiv Gandhi and Narasimha Rao visited Beijing in 1988 and 1993, at which times two key agreements on the LAC were signed. During the Rajiv Gandhi visit, it was Li who had even then spoken of the joint role India and China could play in the world.

Over the last week in the capital, Li has been content to talk about the ``lack of mutual understanding and trust'' between the two countries, but that ``such problems left over by history'' should not become impediments of growth in other areas of the relationship.

According to a spokesman in the ministry of External Affairs, Li had raised the issue of LAC clarification today, ``expressing satisfaction about progress made...including the recent exchange of maps between the delegations of two countries.''