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China not to mediate on Kashmir issue

China on Wednesday dissociated itself from donning the role of a peacemaker between India and Pakistan and hoped that the upcoming visit of Premier Zhu Rongji to New Delhi would serve to dispel the fears of a 'China threat' and enhance mutual understanding.

"I think the role that can be played by China together with the international community is to persuade the two sides to continue to exercise restraint. However, in the end, it is up to the two countries to find a peaceful solution," director general of the Asia department of the Chinese foreign ministry Fu Ying said.

Briefing reporters on the upcoming visit of Zhu to Bangladesh and India from January 11-18, Fu said China would only like to persuade India and Pakistan to resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue and consultations.

"As far as the tension between India and Pakistan is concerned, our position is the hope to see the ease of tension," she said, ahead of Zhu's first meeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on January 14.

She noted that both India and Pakistan have stated that they don't want to have a war, which is an important common point.

Fu emphasised that Zhu's visit was scheduled much ahead of the December 13 terrorist strike on Parliament House and the ensuing tension between India and Pakistan.

"So, we have decided to carry on with the visit," she said.

While pointing out that China has condemned the terrorist strike on Parliament, Fu hoped that India and Pakistan could cooperate more to eliminate terrorism.

On the vexed Kashmir issue, Fu described it as a 'very complicated issue'. At the same time, she reiterated China's long-standing position is that India and Pakistan should find a peaceful solution to the problem.

She denied that China had ever taken sides in the dispute. "Our fundamental policy is the five principles of peaceful co-existence and non-interference in the affairs of other countries. Our position on Kashmir has always been encouraging dialogue and peaceful solution," she said.

China also asserted that it did not plan to raise the Tibet issue and the question of the Karmapa Lama with India.

"It is not a bilateral problem between China and India," Fu said.

At the same time, Beijing hoped that New Delhi would continue to abide by the promises it made concerning the two issues sensitive to China, he said.

"India and China share the common view that Tibet is a part of China and Tibet is an autonomous region of China."

"As far as the Karmapa issue is concerned, the Indian government has also made it very clear that they will not allow him to be used by any foreign powers against China. So we hope that this promise will be kept," she said.

China views Tibet's exiled religious leader, the 14th Dalai Lama, as a separatist, engaged in anti-China activities.

However, the Dalai Lama, who fled from Tibet to Dharamsala after a failed 1959 uprising against Chinese rule, has said he seeks greater autonomy - not independence - for Tibet.

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