NEW DELHI: In what constitutes a major protocol faux pas Defence Minister Sherad Pawar, now on a visit to China, inadvertently reached Beijing a day earlier than scheduled.

Pawar and his delegation were slated to reach Beijing on Saturday, but had to advance their program and reached on Friday.

Members of the delegation which was to make a day’s halt at Hong Kong, had to change plans and were forced to leave for the Chinese Capital the same day, as they discovered that their seats in the connecting flight for the next day had not been confirmed, According to reports reaching here, last minute efforts of the officials of the Indian mission at Hong Kong to book

the delegation by Saturday’s ‘flight to Beijing did not materialize.

However, the mission officials were told by the airline that the delegation could only be accommodated on Friday’s flight. Pawar, who was taken by surprise by the ineptitude of the officials, had no other option but to leave on Friday.

The Indian mission in China, on being informed by its counterpart in Hong Kong, swung into action and averted what could have been an embarrassing situation for the delegation, The officials promptly got in touch with the Chinese authorities and informed that the delegation had advanced its arrival by a day. Deputy Chief of General Staff of People’s Liberation Army Gen Jiaping was at Beijing airport to receive Pawar.

The Defence Minister was upset with the way the officials have handled his prestigious tour and External Affairs Ministry officials here are trying to fix the responsibility for the embarrassing blunder.

The Ministry views the episode as a major lapse on the part of the concerned officials, particularly in view of the fact that the tour, the first by an Indian Defence Minister to China, had been planned two months ago. According to PTI  Defence Minister Sharad Pawar held more than two hours of talks with Chinese State Councilor and Defence Minister General Quin Jivelon Saturday and said later that the parleys had “helped create mutual understanding and represent a useful step forward.”

Pawar, the first ever Indian Defence Minister to visit China, said that the talks would give an impetus to the ongoing exchanges at the official level.

The joint working group on the border would meet in October and set the definitive line of approach beneficial to both sides, he said.

The wide-ranging talks with Gen Quin were held in a “friendly atmosphere” and covered international, regional and bilateral issues, Pawar said, but refused to elaborate further.

Article extracted from this publication >> Aug 7, 1992