China's claim on Arunachal Pradesh outrageous, says German envoy Philipp Ackermann
"It's also an Indian problem; you have it at your northern border. That's something you have been experiencing every couple of years. So I think when we talk with the Indian side, there is an understanding that the international order should be held up and preserved," the newly-appointed German ambassador said.
FollowTerming China's claim of Arunachal Pradesh as its territory as 'outrageous', Germany on Tuesday said that the transgressions along the Line of Actual Control are a violation of the international order.
Stating that his country is well aware of the issues at India's northern border, German Ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann, who held his first press conference after his appointment in Delhi, told media persons: "China claims of Arunachal Pradesh as its integral part, are ‘outrageous’. So, I think that the infringement at the border is extremely difficult, and it should not be accepted."
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It should be noted that the two Himalayan giants have been engaged in a border standoff for over two years now at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh. However, disengagement at several points has taken place while the de-escalation process is yet to commence.
China doesn't hold 20 per cent of India's territory
However, the newly-appointed German ambassador also drew a line in the context of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and India-China border standoff.
"You should also differentiate -- what happens at the border with China has no comparison to what is happening in Ukraine. China doesn't hold 20 per cent of Indian territory; it is not systematically destroying every village, every town in the area," Philipp Ackermann said.
"... It's also an Indian problem; you have it at your northern border. That's something you have been experiencing every couple of years. So I think when we talk with the Indian side, there is an understanding that the international order should be held up and preserved," the German ambassador added.
"We might not agree on every line when it comes to Ukraine, but I want to state the first impression I have of Indian colleagues. The Ukraine problem has manifold impacts on the world. The Indian side very well recognises this violation of international order," he said.
'India should understand Europe’s outrage on Russia'
Ackermann was of the view that New Delhi should understand Europe's outrage over the Moscow attack on Kyiv.
Last week, India, for the first time, voted against Russia during a 'procedural vote' at the United Nations Security Council on Ukraine. The development took place for the first time since Moscow carried out a war against Ukraine in February earlier this year. Prior to this, New Delhi had abstained at the UN Security Council on Ukraine, which had irked Europe and the United States.
The German ambassador has welcomed New Delhi's move and stated it as 'progress' in India's position. He also compared Russia's war on Ukraine to his own country's (Germany) invasion of Poland during World War II in 1939 and said: "I have never seen such aggression in the last 70 years."
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