At a seminar marking 50 years of Panchsheel, Minister for External Affairs Natwar Singh said today that India and China wanted to expedite a resolution of the boundary dispute between them. He was responding to queries on talks between special representatives J.N. Dixit (India) and Dai Bingguo (China) in Beijing.In his inaugural address, Singh said India wanted a enduring friendship with China on the basis of mutual respect and sensitivity to each other’s concerns and aspirations. As two ancient civilisations and largest developing countries, the two nations shared a great responsibility to strengthen and provide further impetus to Panchsheel. If the 21st century was going to be the century of Asia, ‘‘then India and China have a special role to play in promoting the concepts espoused by Panchsheel’’, he added.The Panchsheel, he said, was as relevant today as it was 50 years ago. Singh maintained that the application of selective criteria over human rights by the UN Security council in relation to countries of West Asia and North Africa was contrary to the principles of the UN charter.Referring to Pakistan, he said an end to the atmosphere of violence and terrorism would have to be an ‘‘essential part’’ of the process of confidence-building. ‘‘What can be a better framework for furthering relations with Pakistan than the five principles of Panchsheel?’’ he said.In an apparent reference to the US, the minister said in terms of military might, the world had a predominant power but even it had limitations. Without mentioning Iraq, he said a war could be waged unilaterally, but there was need for collective efforts to build peace. He also released a commemorative volume, edited by former diplomat C. V. Ranganathan on the occasion.
