Dharamsala, November 4: India on Wednesday denied Chinese accusation that His Holiness the Dalai Lama's planned visit to Arunachal Pradesh is causing strain in bilateral ties between the two countries.
"There is no strain in bilateral ties," IANS reported foreign secretary Nirupama Rao as telling reporters in New Delhi when asked whether the Dalai Lama's scheduled visit to Arunachal Pradesh Nov 8 had strained ties between the two countries.
"Our position is very clear," Rao said while alluding to New Delhi's stance that the exiled Tibetan leader can go anywhere in India provided he does not indulge in political activities.
Describing the relationship with China as "complex", Rao said the rise of India and China was "a source of dynamism" in the region and the world. Rao also pointed out that the resolution of outstanding issues like the border dispute would take some time and entail greater political will on part of both countries.
Rao was speaking at a seminar on South Asia organised by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).
China on Tuesday accused the Dalai Lama of trying to "wreck" Sino-Indian ties by his proposed trip to Arunachal Pradesh, over which Beijing claims sovereignty, but refrained from condemning New Delhi for allowing the visit.
“The Dalai Lama often tells lies... he’s a national separatist. This attempt to damage relations between China and the relevant countries will not succeed,’’ said foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu at a media briefing.
Rejecting Beijing's objections to the Tibetan leader's visit to Arunachal Pradesh next week, Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna last month said, “Dalai Lama is free to visit anywhere in India”.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also said last week after meeting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that the Dalai Lama was "an honoured guest" of India.
On a trip to Tokyo last month, the Dalai Lama Chinese government reads too much political meaning into his frequent travels abroad.
"The Chinese government politicizes too much wherever I go. Where I go is not political," the Dalai Lama, who is currently on a week long visit to Japan, said on Saturday.
The Tibetan leader is scheduled to will Arunachal Pradesh for a week from Novemver 8. |