http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&article=127384&d=14&m=10&y=2009&pix=world.jpg&category=World
Wednesday 14 October 2009 (25 Shawwal 1430)
Indian PM's trip angers China
Agencies
BEIJING: China said Tuesday it was "seriously dissatisfied" by the visit
of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to a disputed Himalayan region, the
latest tense exchange between the Asian giants over border areas claimed by
both.
China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu accused the Indian leader of
ignoring China's concerns by visiting the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Singh
traveled to the mountainous state earlier this month to woo voters ahead of
Tuesday's state assembly election.
Beijing lays claim to the whole of the border state (90,000 sq km) that
it sees as "southern" Tibet. "We demand the Indian side pay attention to the
serious and just concerns of the Chinese side, and do not provoke incidents in
the disputed region, in order to facilitate the healthy development of
Sino-Indian relations," Ma said in a statement.
India's Foreign Ministry said its leaders were free to visit states where
elections are held. "Regardless of what others say it is the government of
India's stated position that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India,"
Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters in New Delhi. The ministry said
New Delhi was "disappointed and concerned."
India and China fought a brief but bloody border war, partly over
Arunachal Pradesh, in 1962. China has never recognized a British colonial-era
border known as the McMahon Line that designated the region as part of India.
China also occupies a chunk of territory in Kashmir that India regards as its
own.
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