New Delhi, September 25: Australia’s new high commissioner Peter Varghesedownplayed onThursday his government’s support of China’s stand on Arunachal with regard to a loan application from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), claiming the Oz vote was “neither pro-China nor anti-India”.
In June, China objectedto the ADB loan of $60 million for a watershed development project in Arunanchal on the ground that the state was a “disputed” territory. By granting the loan, the bank was taking up “political issues” of its members and indirectly acknowledging that Arunachal was Indian territory, China contended.
Though the Chinese veto was overruled with US, Canada and other western donors coming to India’s aid, Beijing flexed its muscle by declaring that ADB in its disclosure statement refer to Arunachal’s disputed status.
The Indian government had kept this under wraps emphasising instead that $2.9 billion had been approved. That may be so, but China won round two of the vote by insisting that the “disclosure agreement”has to reflect this view. Australia, Japan and other Asian nations backed China’s decision to take the vote.
Varghese was at pains to explain that Australia had not stood in the way of approval of the $2.9-billion country partnership strategy plan for India. “Australia was not taking a stand,” Varghese said.
He justified the vote on the “disclosure agreement” by saying that Australia’s vote did not make a difference as there were several others who endorsed the bank’s (read China’s) stand. It is well known that the labour government of prime minister Kevin Rudd has excellent relations with China.
India has already made it clear that it will raise funds from internal resources for the Arunachal part of the ADB loan.
—Agencies