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Chinese foreign minister meets PM, Pranab

Source:PTI
September 08, 2008 22:41 IST

Against the backdrop of Beijing's negative role at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting in Vienna, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and held talks with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Dr Singh told Yang that India was pleased to get the NSG waiver last week, official sources said.

There was no joint press interaction with the two ministers nor was there any official briefing on the two meetings. It was not clear whether India's unhappiness over the Chinese role was conveyed to Yang.

On Saturday, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan had indicated that the Indian viewpoint would be conveyed to Yang.

Interestingly, as Yang was meeting the Indian leadership, the Chinese foreign ministry issued a statement in Beijing saying that their representative had played a "positive" and "constructive" role in the NSG meeting.

China, after creating difficulties for the waiver at the three-day NSG meet in Vienna, finally supported the consensus after being pushed by the US and India.

India was angry at Chinese moves as the latter had assured New Delhi at the highest level that it will not be "a part of problem" at the NSG.

New Delhi reportedly issued demarche to Beijing in the wee hours of Saturday, just hours before the NSG decided on India's case.

Source: PTI
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