India and China have cancelled sensitive border talks to avoid an embarrassing clash with a Buddhist conference in Delhi attended by the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, according to the Indian government.
The Asian powers were due to start today the next round in long-running talks to resolve a border dispute over Arunachal Pradesh, the Indian state which China claims as south Tibet. Dai Bingguo, China’s top foreign policy official, was to travel to the Indian capital for discussions with Shivshankar Menon, India’s national security adviser.
But the talks would have coincided with a meeting of religious leaders and scholars from 32 countries at the Global Buddhist Congregation, which started on Sunday. The Dalai Lama, whom China vilifies, is expected to speak at the closing event on Wednesday.