Article

2007-02-04 India-Pakistan

Chinese political advisor accuses India of triggering 1962 war

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Posted by john 2007-02-04 13:45|| || Front Page|| [13 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 See next page for Indian cruise missile goodness.

Posted by Shipman 2007-02-04 14:13|| 2007-02-04 14:13|| Front Page Top

#2 Great. He's remembering a war fought 45 years ago.

Posted by gorb 2007-02-04 15:39|| 2007-02-04 15:39|| Front Page Top

#3 China's anti-satellite test worries India

NEW DELHI: India for the first time on Sunday expressed its deep disquiet about last month's ASAT (anti-satellite) test when China destroyed an aging satellite in space with a DF-21 missile.

Addressing an aerospace seminar organised by IAF, external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee said: "The security and safety of assets in outer space is of crucial importance... We call upon all states to redouble efforts to strengthen the international legal regime for peaceful uses of outer space."

The language was guarded, and couched in a call for collaborative international action against weaponisation of outer space. But the message was clear and deliberate. According to sources, it reflected the concerns of both the MEA and the ministry of defence, which had hitherto remained silent.

The message had been worked on by the top strategists in the Indian government, reflecting the degree of Indian unhappiness on the Chinese test on January 11. China is traditionally a country the Indian government is loath to criticise openly.

"Satellites play an important role in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, securing communication and delivering accurate firepower on the ground at large distances. Recent developments show that we are treading a thin line between current defence-related uses of space and its actual weaponisation," he said.

His statement comes ahead of the visit of Chinese foreign minister Li Zhaoxing, who will be here for bilateral talks before a meeting with Indian and Russian foreign ministers. India will raise these issues at the meeting, said sources. The trilateral forum is likely to be used by Russia and India to convey a similar message.

Mukherjee also used the occasion to send another unequivocal message to China, warning it off the Indian Ocean and India's strategic waters. China's interest in extending its influence in this area is not new, but a Hu Jintao visit to Seychelles which comes after intense Chinese interest in Indian Ocean rim countries in Africa and Myanmar compelled New Delhi to finally come out with its disapproval.

Mukherjee said: "We have a strong stake in the security and stability of these waters, which is linked to energy security, since a very large percentage of Asian oil and gas supplies are shipped through the Indian Ocean." India has taken a strong interest in securing sea lanes in Indian Ocean and the Malacca Straits for energy supplies to East Asia.

As for the ASAT test, India's real concern is not so much the space debris as is the prospect that China has taken the technological leap now to be able to target civilian space programmes, reconnaissance satellites etc.

Posted by john 2007-02-04 15:40|| 2007-02-04 15:40|| Front Page Top

#4 And he is remembering INCORRECTLY, Gorb. The Reds were the invaders in the 1962 Sino-Indian War, and they kept a large chunk of what used to be India and declared it China.

Posted by Shieldwolf 2007-02-04 16:14|| 2007-02-04 16:14|| Front Page Top

Posted by john 2007-02-04 16:38|| 2007-02-04 16:38|| Front Page Top

#6 And he is remembering INCORRECTLY, Gorb

It's probably what he was taught. :-(

Posted by gorb 2007-02-04 17:15|| 2007-02-04 17:15|| Front Page Top

#7 John, it's almost Islamic. If a land was once "China," then it's rightfully part of China again.

Posted by Jackal">Jackal 2007-02-04 21:51|| http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[http://home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2007-02-04 21:51|| Front Page Top

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