New Delhi:
India has decided to ignore considerable pressure from China to attend the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.
The Nobel Peace Prize is being conferred on Chinese dissident Liu Xiaboa, who is in jail. Members of his family have not been allowed to travel to Oslo to accept the prize on his behalf.
Beijing had issued a demarche to several countries demanding a boycott of the Peace Prize ceremony.
Chinese President Wen Jiabao lands in Delhi on December 15 for a three-day visit, and India was concerned about adding the Peace Prize to the list of irritants in the delicate Indo-Chinese relationship. However, government sources say that they've decided that the prize ceremony cannot be considered a bilateral issue.
Nineteen countries have indicated they will not attend the ceremony -they include China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Egypt. 44 countries, including India, will be represented in Oslo, according to the website of the Peace Prize committee. (Read: In US, China compared to Nazis for Nobel controversy)
The New York Times reports, "Geir Lundestad, the committee's secretary, said there will be an empty chair and a portrait of Mr Liu on the podium as the rest of the glittery ceremony proceeds with speeches and musical interludes some, at Mr Liu's request, by children's choirs."
The Nobel Peace Prize is being conferred on Chinese dissident Liu Xiaboa, who is in jail. Members of his family have not been allowed to travel to Oslo to accept the prize on his behalf.
Beijing had issued a demarche to several countries demanding a boycott of the Peace Prize ceremony.
Chinese President Wen Jiabao lands in Delhi on December 15 for a three-day visit, and India was concerned about adding the Peace Prize to the list of irritants in the delicate Indo-Chinese relationship. However, government sources say that they've decided that the prize ceremony cannot be considered a bilateral issue.
Nineteen countries have indicated they will not attend the ceremony -they include China, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Egypt. 44 countries, including India, will be represented in Oslo, according to the website of the Peace Prize committee. (Read: In US, China compared to Nazis for Nobel controversy)
The New York Times reports, "Geir Lundestad, the committee's secretary, said there will be an empty chair and a portrait of Mr Liu on the podium as the rest of the glittery ceremony proceeds with speeches and musical interludes some, at Mr Liu's request, by children's choirs."
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