China to stay away from G20 working group meet in Srinagar

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 19

China on Friday formally announced its non-participation in a G20 working group meeting in Srinagar next week while there is no word from Turkey which was also stated to be weighing the options regarding its participation. There is as yet no word from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia while efforts are on to ensure participation from their diplomats posted here.

China opposed holding G20 meetings in any form in disputed areas and will not attend such meetings, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Friday when asked about reports of India hosting a G20 meeting in Kashmir.

China and Turkey have been signaling their aversion to attend the G20 meeting in Kashmir which they hold is a disputed region. There are reports that following extensive lobbying by Pakistan against their participation, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia are also in two minds.

Sources here said the purpose will be served if diplomats from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia send their Delhi-based diplomats. Some more countries are likely to send their diplomats based here for the Srinagar meet though this is not because of their stand on Kashmir but more due to the security situation, they said. At a youth G20 meeting held in Srinagar on Friday, they pointed out that there was participation from most countries. It was attended by youth delegates from the US, Russia, Korea, Japan, South Korea, Brazil and Nigeria besides Indonesia and Turkey.

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