CCS reviews India-China relations

NEW DELHI: While reviewing the overall security scenario in the region, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Friday took stock of the situation prevailing along the 4,057-km-long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
Sources said the persistent US request to send troops to Iraq also figured in the CCS meeting, which was significantly held in the "Operations Room" of the armed forces in South Block after a long time.Army chief General N C Vij gave a detailed presentation on various security aspects during the two-hour meeting.
The meeting comes ahead of Prime Minister Vajpayee''s forthcoming trip to the US to address the United Nations General Assembly session, where he is also likely to meet American President George Bush.
The defence ministry, however, made it clear that the Army will not be able to spare a division-level force (around 17,000 soldiers) for Iraq, given its "heavy commitment" in the north-west sector and the spurt in terrorist activity in Jammu and Kashmir.
On being asked about the CCS meeting, the external affairs ministry spokesperson cryptically remarked, "It reviewed Indo-China relations in the context of the PM''s recent visit to China." He refused to say anything further.
It was during Vajpayee''s trip to China in June that a Chinese patrol has crossed the contentious LAC into the Upper Subansiri district of Arunachal Pradesh forcing New Delhi to lodge a protest with Beijing.
India is keen on accelerating the delineation of the LAC to settle the complicated border dispute with China. The two sides have only managed to exchange sample maps of the "middle sector" of the border area so far.
The far more contentious western and eastern sectors are yet to even reach this preliminary stage.