Hissing Dragon-Squirming Tiger:

Comparisons, Negotiations

and Attitudes continues...

Since China repeatedly brings up this phrase as its claim to Arunachal

Pradesh, it is necessary to take a brief re-look at the same ‘historical

facts’, which have been examined in some detail earlier in Part I of the

book.

Some preliminary discussion on ‘history’ in this connection may be of some help. V. K. Singh, in his well-reasoned essay, has come to the conclusion that, owing to the complexity of the two contending claims,

‘It does not appear that history can provide an answer to solving the Sino-Indian border dispute.’ Nevertheless, it could perhaps be instructive to look at one instance of the history of the settlement of boundary disputes.

The PRC’s northern boundary with the Russian Federation, or Russia after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, is 4,200 km long. Earlier treaties between Imperial Russia and China had been regarded by China as unequal treaties. The dispute led to army division-sized clashes in 1969, in the area of the Damansky Island on the Ussuri River. After the tension had cooled, despite the conciliatory attitudes of the leaders on both sides, the dispute still remained unresolved. Mikhail Gorbachev initiated border negotiations which began in 1987.

Agreement was finally reached on 16th May 1992, just months before the Soviet Union collapsed. The successor Russian government ratified the agreement in February 1992. Some areas though broadly agreed were finalized in 1996. But again, some specific areas were excluded from the agreement, and were finalized only in 2004. The two areas, Heixazi and Abagaitu Islet, were in 1996 deliberately excluded for future settlement.

In one area of 17.5 sq km

along the Argun River, the 1996 settlement transferred the area to China, but granted local Russian residents special rights within the previously-disputed area. The position of the Sino-Russian-North Korean tri-junction had remained disputed for many years. The final position was agreed upon in the talks held during the period 1964-1991, and were successfully demarcated, again after trilateral negotiations in 1998, coming into effect in 1999. History can perhaps provide some guidelines if not answers.

To be continued.....