By Manish Chand
Geneva, Nov 21 (IANS) China has allayed concerns of India over the US-China joint statement, saying that it advocated direct negotiations between India and Pakistan to resolve their bilateral issues.

A senior official of Chinese Foreign Office conveyed to Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao that Beijing respected New Delhi’s position that bilateral issues between India and Pakistan should be resolved through dialogue, reliable sources said.

The Chinese have told us they advocated direct negotiations between India and Pakistan to resolve their dialogue, the sources said.

They respect our position, the official said, downplaying apprehensions among some sections in India about the US-China joint statement issued after talks between US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao that envisaged a role for China in South Asia and in India-Pakistan affairs.

The statement was seen by some sections in India as an instance of the Obama administration’s focus on China at the expense of India.

Reacting to the joint statement, India’s external affairs ministry ruled out any third party mediation in issues relating to India and Pakistan.