The Special Representatives' Dialogue and the 2005 Agreement
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: International Relations (India and its neighborhood, Key Bilateral Agreements); Geography (Line of Actual Control - LAC, Tawang, Sikkim-Tibet border).
Mains:
General Studies Paper 1 (Post-Independence History): Consolidation and reorganization within the country.
General Studies Paper 2 (International Relations): India and its neighborhood- relations; Bilateral agreements involving India. Understanding these foundational agreements is crucial for analyzing the current India-China standoff.
Key Highlights from the News
Following Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee's visit to China in 2003, a high-level political push was formed to resolve the border dispute – the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism.
The most significant outcome of these talks was the Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles, signed in 2005.
A key provision (Article VII) of this agreement was the protection of the interests of people in settled populations in border areas.
This provision was widely expected to pave the way for a "swap deal" where Aksai Chin would go to China and Arunachal Pradesh to India.
However, in 2007, China withdrew from this provision and strongly reasserted its claim over Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, leading to a stalemate in the discussions.
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