Sushma dismisses Beijing's claim, says Indo-China border in Sikkim not settled

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday dismissed Beijing's claim that Sino-India boundary in Sikkim Sector had been delimited by the 1890 convention between the UK and China.

Sushma articulated New Delhi’s position on the current face-off between Indian Army and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in western Bhutan while replying to a discussion on India’s external engagements in the Rajya Sabha. She said that the 1890 convention between the UK and China had provided the basis for settling the Sino-India boundary in Sikkim Sector, but New Delhi and Beijing still had steps to take before finalising the border on that stretch.

“War is not a solution to anything. Even after war, there has to be a dialogue. So, have dialogue without a war... Patience, control on comments and diplomacy can resolve problems,” said Sushma on India's approach to resolve the stand-off.

Ever since the current face-off in Doklam Plateau started, Beijing has been repeatedly invoking the 1890 Convention between Great Britain and China relating to Tibet and Sikkim. A 15-page document brought out by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China on the stand-off on Wednesday too stated that China-India boundary in the Sikkim Sector had already been delimited by the 1890 convention.

“There is mutual agreement on the basis of the alignment of the India China boundary in the Sikkim Sector as provided by the convention between China and Great Britain relating to Tibet and Sikkim signed in 1890,” Swaraj on Thursday quoted the Common Understanding reached by Special Representatives appointed by New Delhi and Beijing for negotiation to settle the boundary dispute.

She also quoted from the non-paper Beijing provided to New Delhi during the eighth round of talks between Special Representatives of India and China in June 2006. The non-paper had proposed that both sides might, based on the 1890 Convention, “verify and determine the specific alignment of the Sikkim Sector and produce a common record”.

“On this basis as the initial result of the boundary settlement both sides may negotiate a final agreement on the boundary alignment in the Sikkim sector to replace the historical treaty,” said the External Affairs Minister.

No firm boundary

“Subsequently,” she added, “in the Special Representatives meeting the Chinese side has made the proposal for finalising the boundary in Sikkim sector terming it as an early harvest of the SR process, thus clearly confirming that the boundary in the Sikkim sector is not yet finalised.

Otherwise, they would not have used this term ‘early harvest’ as we say ‘low hanging fruit’.”
She also noted that Point 13 of the 2012 Common Understanding reached by the Special Representatives of New Delhi and Beijing stated that the “tri-junction boundary points between India, China and third countries” would be finalised in consultation with the concerned countries”.

“Since 2012, we have not held any discussion on the tri-junction with Bhutan. The Chinese action in the Doklam area is therefore of concern,” said Swaraj.