China offers no support for UNSC seat to India

Beijing: Indian officials on Thursday painted a positive picture of securing greater Chinese support, or at least more understanding, on the question of United Nations reforms and India's bid for a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. China still stopped short of expressing outright support for India's Security Council aspirations, even as Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao described as a "forward movement" the "understanding" shown by the Chinese leadership when visiting Indian President Pratibha Patil raised the issue at talks in Beijing. Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said the Chinese leadership had been positive about engaging with India on the issue, showing increasing awareness of the legitimacy of India's position on the matter. But whether or not this reflected any change in China's actual position remained unclear after Thursday's talks. U.N. reforms, and India's calls for Chinese support, found no mention in the statement issued by China's Foreign Ministry following the talks between President Pratibha Patil and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

President Patil held a series of meetings with her Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday. Patil, who is on a six-day state visit to China, arrived in Beijing on Wednesday. "China understands India's desire, aspiration to ensure a more prominent role in the United Nations Security Council and also understands that representation of developing countries should be increased, especially in the UNSC," Rao said on Thursday evening. Since Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India in 2005, China's official position has been that Beijing "understood and supported India's aspirations to play an active role in the U.N. and international affairs."

On Thursday too, Chinese officials voiced their support in identical terms, suggesting their position had remained consistent. Asked if this meant there had been no progress on the issue since Mr. Wen's visit to India, Foreign Secretary Ms. Rao argued the Chinese position "had not been constant." "If you look at the 2008 document after the Prime Minister visited Beijing, a reference to that went far beyond what they said [in 2005], and they are building on that position now," she said. The 2008 statement said "the two sides support comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including giving priority to increasing the representation of developing countries in the Security Council."

The President had raised the issue of India's interest in securing a permanent seat in an expanded and reformed UNSC. "The warmth of the welcome and the positive statement suggest that they are engaging with India on this issue and understand what we are trying to say," said Rao. The Foreign Secretary described the Chinese statements as a "forward movement" and "positive development". "We will now stay in close touch with them and talk about it," she added. Rao even went on to say that the Chinese response on the subject was "not guarded or diplomatic language".

"It was establishment of perfect communication," she asserted. The top Indian diplomat said that India and China will have "dialogue and communication" over the subject, just as they had managed to evolve a common position at the climate change talks at Copenhagen last year. Chinese President Hu has reasserted support for India's bid for a non-permanent seat in the UNSC for 2011-12, Rao added. The Indian president also discussed the boundary dispute. "She laid great importance on peace and tranquility in border areas," noted Rao.

Asked if Patil raised the issue of China's nuclear deal with Pakistan and building of a Chinese dam over the Brahmaputra, she said: "No. It was not taken up. We discussed strategic and cooperative partnership."