M A I N   N E W S

Problems with China on LAC: Army Chief

NEW DELHI, Jan 14 (UNI) — The chief of Army Staff, Gen s. Padmanabhan, today said China’s building up infrastructure, including roads, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was creating some problems between the two countries.

The perception of the two nations with regard to the LAC was “poles apart”, the Army Chief said on the eve of the meeting between Mr Li Peng, Chairman of the National Peoples Congress of China, and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. “We have some problems on the LAC,” he said.

In an interview to Doordarshan on the eve of Army Day tomorrow, General Padmanabhan, however, said the two countries had maintained a certain degree of stabilisation on the LAC following the signing of two agreements to ensure peace and tranquility.

Mr Li, China’s second most powerful man, had yesterday talked about lack of understanding between Beijing and New Delhi on “certain issues” and said these differences and problems, borne out of history, needed to be resolved by the leaders of the two countries.

The Army Chief reiterated that he was in favour of continuation of the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that it had paid of well in a number of ways.

“The borders are quiet, guns have fallen silent for the first time in the past 10 years and there has been no artillery fire for six weeks in the Siachen glacier”, he said.

He, however, said the final decision would have to be taken by the government.

Referring to the Army’s role during the “no initiation of combat operations”, he said the forces were carrying on operations within an ambit of a certain range.

On a question regarding “hot pursuit” against militants training camps, General Padmanabhan said, “We have abjured and we are in favour of the LoC (Line of Control) being respected’’.

Regarding the post-Kargil General Court Martial proceedings against some officers, he said that had not affected the morale of the Army.