Sino-Pak ties must not affect relations with India: Khurshid

Beijing, May 10: External Affairs Minister

on Thursday asked

not to allow its close ties with

to affect Sino-India relationship.

Asked whether he had taken up China's projects in PoK with his counterpart Wang Yi, Khurshid said, "We understand you (China) have relationship with Pakistan.

We respect you have a relationship with Pakistan but it should not be used or allowed to be used against Indian interests," he said.

"We said they (China) have relationship with Pakistan. That does not keep us back to develop relationship with them. We only urged them not to allow anybody to use their relationship to India's detriment. It is all we urged. That is the point that was noted," he said.

"I did mention the nuclear programme of Pakistan. I also told the Foreign Minister that our relationship is as described by him as a relationship of two important countries in Asia and the world," he said adding that the quality of depth of that relationship should be preserved.

"They understand and we understand. Nudging, flagging and reminding is not a bad idea," he said adding that India too has assured that it would not allow any country to use it to the detriment of China's interests.

About China supplying more nuclear reactors to Pakistan he said, "I flagged the nuclear programme of Pakistan."

"Those are multilateral agreement....they know their responsibility. As a responsible member of the UN, I am sure they would take appropriate decision," he said.

About China's support for India's bid for a permanent membership of the UN Security Council he said he is due to meet Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and State Councillor Yang Jiechi tomorrow to discuss more bilateral issues.

He said, Yang has formally been nominated to succeed Dai Bingguo as Special Representative for border talks.

He is already in touch with his Indian counterpart National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and the two were expected to hold the 16th round of border talks soon, Khurshid said.

PTI