BEIJING: Indications of differences within the Chinese leadership over the India-US nuclear deal evident when the country’s foreign ministry on Tuesday refused to endorse the criticism of the deal expressed by the Communist Party’s main newspaper on Monday.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu seemed to suggest that Beijing was prepared to consider supporting the deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting if the “relevant countries” provide the necessary assurances on nuclear safeguards.
She said she had not read the article that appeared in Monday edition of the People’s Daily. “China hopes the NSG finds a way to strike a balance between nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of energy,” she said at a press conference indicating that Beijing was looking for modifications in the deal to make it more palatable.
The Chinese military brass and certain hawks in the Communist Party are known to be against the India-US deal. But several leaders at the helm of affairs feel that opposing the deal at the NSG meeting will have far-reaching affect on India-China relationship.
Jiang seemed to suggest that China would be happy with some more assurances that the spirit of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty would be safeguarded even if India did not actually sign it, observers said.
She also reiterated China’s earlier stance when she said that all countries have the “right to peacefully use nuclear energy and conduct international cooperation in line with the non-proliferation obligation.” China would continue to play the “positive role” that it has been playing at meetings of the NSG, she said.
The foreign ministry’s statement suggests that Beijing is caught is a dilemma and is far from arriving at a final decision on its stand at the NSG. It may prefer to watch the responses of other members in the 45-member group before opening its cards at the meeting in vienna on September 4 and 5, observers said.
China’s attitude at the NSG might influence the outcome of the three-day visit by Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi starting September 6. Jiang confirmed that Yang will meet external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee besides opening the Chinese consulate office in kolkata. The spokesperson said that the mutual trust between China and India had deepened since the successful visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Beijing in January. The two countries are committed to further developing “strategic partnership” while maintaining their neighbourly and friendly relationship, she said.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu seemed to suggest that Beijing was prepared to consider supporting the deal at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting if the “relevant countries” provide the necessary assurances on nuclear safeguards.
She said she had not read the article that appeared in Monday edition of the People’s Daily. “China hopes the NSG finds a way to strike a balance between nuclear non-proliferation and the peaceful use of energy,” she said at a press conference indicating that Beijing was looking for modifications in the deal to make it more palatable.
The Chinese military brass and certain hawks in the Communist Party are known to be against the India-US deal. But several leaders at the helm of affairs feel that opposing the deal at the NSG meeting will have far-reaching affect on India-China relationship.
Jiang seemed to suggest that China would be happy with some more assurances that the spirit of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty would be safeguarded even if India did not actually sign it, observers said.
She also reiterated China’s earlier stance when she said that all countries have the “right to peacefully use nuclear energy and conduct international cooperation in line with the non-proliferation obligation.” China would continue to play the “positive role” that it has been playing at meetings of the NSG, she said.
The foreign ministry’s statement suggests that Beijing is caught is a dilemma and is far from arriving at a final decision on its stand at the NSG. It may prefer to watch the responses of other members in the 45-member group before opening its cards at the meeting in vienna on September 4 and 5, observers said.
China’s attitude at the NSG might influence the outcome of the three-day visit by Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi starting September 6. Jiang confirmed that Yang will meet external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee besides opening the Chinese consulate office in kolkata. The spokesperson said that the mutual trust between China and India had deepened since the successful visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Beijing in January. The two countries are committed to further developing “strategic partnership” while maintaining their neighbourly and friendly relationship, she said.
0 comments:
Post a Comment