Indian minister's China visit cancelled over Tibet row

By THE STRAITS TIMES (Singapore)
March 27, 2008

NEW DELHI has cancelled a proposed visit to Beijing by Trade Minister Kamal Nath after China summoned the Indian envoy over Tibetan protests in India, a report said on Thursday.

Mr Nath was due to travel to Beijing on April 1 to take part in discussions on a trade agreement between the two Asian giants, The Times of India reported.

But the Indian government called off Mr Nath's trip to protest the Chinese foreign ministry's summoning of India's ambassador to Beijing on early Saturday over Tibetan protests in India, the newspaper reported.

A foreign ministry official in New Delhi declined to confirm the report.

China's foreign ministry called Indian ambassador Mr Nirupama Rao at 2am and handed over details of plans of more Tibetan demonstrations in India, after protesters broke into the Chinese embassy compound in New Delhi last Friday.

The Indian government found China's action objectionable, the newspaper reported.

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