By IRNA,
New Delhi : India has described China’s involvement in several projects in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), as illegal. New Delhi has conveyed its concern to Beijing over this as well as supply of Chinese weapons to Pakistan.
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna who is expected to visit Beijing in April this year, said Sunday in New Delhi that the country does not see it in antagonistic terms despite differences on a host of issues with China.
Explaining why India sees these activities in PoK as illegal, Krishna said Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country and neither Pakistan nor China have a locus standi there.
Following the release of year-end review of the foreign policy and India’s relations with its neigbours, the Minister said, India lives in a difficult neighbourhood and national security and terrorism originating from across borders would remain a major challenge in 2010.
He also touched upon the troubled ties with Pakistan, relations with China and his
optimism about meaningful cooperation from the US in regard to cases of two terror suspects David Headley and Tahawwur Rana, arrested there for plotting terror attacks in India.
Referring to Pakistan, Krishna noted that progress had been achieved in five years of composite dialogue but it was eroded by continued terrorism emanating from that country. For better ties, he put the onus on Pakistan to act with determination against terrorism directed at India.
Asked about the perception that the US authorities were not fully cooperating with their Indian counterparts with regard to Headley and Rana, he said, the US government has assured of all possible help to deal with the Headley-Rana case.
Asked about his assessment of the way country’s foreign policy has worked in the year gone by, Krishna said New Delhi’s approach, aimed at a supportive external environment helpful for security and sustaining rapid economic growth of the country, has paid rich dividends.