Exiled Tibetan govt: Tibet central to Sino-India border dispute Naresh Kumar Sharma, TNN,

Exiled Tibetan govt: Tibet central to Sino-India border dispute
Naresh Kumar Sharma, TNN,

Dec 15, 2010, 07.19pm IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Exiled-Tibetan-govt-Tibet-central-to-Sino-India-border-dispute/articleshow/7106536.cms

DHARAMSALA: As the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao began his three-day visit to India on Wednesday, the exiled Tibetan government stated here that the issue of Tibet was centrally linked to the long-standing boundary dispute between India and China.

Speaking to TOI, the de facto prime minister of Tibet, Samdhong Rinpoche said, "In fact, there is no Sino-India border. Tibet is intertwined with the boundary problem between these two countries.There needs to be a political will in both India and China to resolve the boundary dispute." He however added that China had been all along more rigid on the issue. He said, "Unless the question of Tibet hangs in balance it is wishful thinking to hope for a lasting peace in the region."

Regarding reported construction of tunnels by China in the western part of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (POK) which could be used by Beijing to place the missiles targeting various towns of India, he said that it was "a great security threat to the entire Indian continent." Not only this, he said that the Chinese construction of railway line extending to Nepal and near India's border in Sikkim was also a great threat to India.

"However, the exiled Tibetan government wants stable relationship between the two Asian giants," Rinpoche said adding that it would usher durable peace in the region.