India snubs China, to attend Nobel ceremony

[below_freezing]

Oslo: India will attend the ceremony for presentation of Nobel Peace Prize to jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in Oslo, Norway. The issue is a vexed one with China asking everyone to boycott the ceremony.

However, most invited countries will attend Friday's Nobel peace prize ceremony, Nobel Institute director Geir Lundestad said today, contradicting a statement from China.

"You only have to look at the figures. The vast majority of countries invited will be represented," Lundestad told agencies.

According to the Nobel Institute, 44 embassies have accepted invitations to the event while 19 have refused "for various reasons" and two have not replied.

China said earlier that the vast majority of countries would not attend the ceremony in honour of Liu, described by Beijing as a criminal.

The Nobel Institute traditionally invites all ambassadors posted in Oslo to the Nobel prize ceremony. China has threatened there will be "consequences" for countries that show their support for Liu by attending the event.

Besides China, the countries who have declined to participate in Friday's ceremony in the Oslo city hall are: Afghanistan, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sudan, Tunisia, Ukraine, Venezuela, Vietnam.

Algeria and Sri Lanka had not yet responded to their invitations by the end of the day Monday.


In Beijing, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu meanwhile told reporters Tuesday "the vast majority of the international community will not attend the ceremony."

"More than 100 countries support us," he said, calling the members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee "clowns."

The Nobel organisers meanwhile stressed there were various reasons why some countries would not attend. Russia for instance has said scheduling difficulties rather than political considerations were keeping it away.

The Nobel Institute has also pointed out that when the largely uncontroversial 2008 prize was awarded to Martti Ahtisaari, 10 embassies did not attend.

Liu, a writer, was jailed in December 2009 for 11 years on subversion charges after co-authoring "Charter 08", a manifesto that spread quickly on the Internet calling for political reform and greater rights in China.

The laureate himself, who remains in prison, will not be able to attend and neither will his wife, Liu Xia, who has been held in house arrest since the prize was announced in October.

An empty chair, a photograph and one of his texts read by Norwegian actress Liv Ullman will represent Liu at the ceremony.

India snubs China, will attend Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony

are they going to read the part where he calls for 300 years of british colonization of China?

 

[CardSharp]

I fail to see any belligerence on my part in quoted section. Maybe I am blind...



EDIT: What I see is an edited quote!

My original quote: " GoC screwed themselves..."
Your edit: "GoC can go screw themselves..."


Being a senior member, I would have expected more from you.

You're original edit that I thumbed up for being hilarious said just that. As whatever you are, I didn't really expect more

 

[Dalai Lama]

You're original edit that I thumbed up for being hilarious said just that. As whatever you are, I didn't really expect more

No, it did not. My edit is clearly stated below my original statement with a big "EDIT".

It is clear to me who the belligerent is here.

 

[Dalai Lama]

@CardSharp

Also does this sentence even sound grammatically correct to you: "Just my humble opinion: GoC can go screw themselves by making this incident more publicized."

 

[Peshwa]

I dont see where the snub is....

Should we not be attending just because of Chinese threats?

And I would like it if someone could argue why attending a neutral world organizations ceremony is bad.....Just because China said so and has a vested interest?
We arent exactly an "Ally", so surprise shouldnt be a reaction to this news....
Besides...being a democracy, India needs to show its commitment to the political ideology that has binded this multi-ethnic country together...

In addition....
I have a feeling that the Indian newspapers have exaggerated China's reaction, but if not, the part about "there will be consequences" is rather arrogant....
There is no difference then between the bully (US) that gave Pakistan a "deal they could not refuse" and China that is claimed to be the beacon of the developing world treating other nations respectfully...

I for one dont think this shouldnt affect Indo-China relations....We cannot just promote our relationship with China at the cost of other nations...China has to understand that....
Besides....if the Taiwan issue has not mitigated the trade between China and US....Why should this ceremony affect Indo-China relations....I hope the Chinese are smarter than this (Im quite sure).

 

[gpit]

Great move!
China should be aware that there is another one standing face to face against it.
You are yet to be the Big Bro.
Till you be,we ll also follow.

You said that…, very good; and "face to face", fine.

But do you want a UNSC position?

Haha… the laugh is now comming from China side.

"face to face" any more, buddy?

 

[Dalai Lama]

Self-delete

 

[Paan Singh]

^^
to whom u r asking?

 

[Peshwa]

You said that…, very good; and "face to face", fine.

But do you want a UNSC position?
Haha… the laugh is now comming from China side.

"face to face" any more, buddy?

Lets be honest....

The VETO is China's till the UN agrees to do so....It is because the world agrees that China deserves a seat....something it received by gods good grace at a time when China was nowhere deserving of one unlike its current form...

Similarly, India has reached a level where enough of the world thinks India is in a deserving position to be included....
At the the end of the day....the UN is a consensus of the world opinion...is it not?

So China can Veto our demand, but that will not change the world's opinion nor the new power dynamics...
It will only prove to the world that China is misusing its veto....something the US is often accused of....

Except in this case, the P5 minus China backs our claim....

So please dont try to be arrogant and make it seem like India will bend over backwards for China to get this.....

I will quote a rather famous comedian to sum up my thought...
"Indians and Chinese can never be in business together.....The Chinese cant give a bargain and Indians cant live without one"...

 

[fallstuff]

Lets be honest....

The VETO is China's till the UN agrees to do so....It is because the world agrees that China deserves a seat....something it received by gods good grace at a time when China was nowhere deserving of one unlike its current form...

Similarly, India has reached a level where enough of the world thinks India is in a deserving position to be included....
At the the end of the day....the UN is a consensus of the world opinion...is it not?

So China can Veto our demand, but that will not change the world's opinion nor the new power dynamics...
It will only prove to the world that China is misusing its veto....something the US is often accused of....

Except in this case, the P5 minus China backs our claim....

So please dont try to be arrogant and make it seem like India will bend over backwards for China to get this.....

I will quote a rather famous comedian to sum up my thought...
"Indians and Chinese can never be in business together.....The Chinese cant give a bargain and Indians cant live without one"...

I like that comedian. He is Canadian, can't recall his name now.

Obama or Sarkozy have not explicitly mentioned about the type of Permanent membership, ie with or without veto power. Seat without veto is what was talked about around 2005.

 

[NALANDA]

Jailed China dissident Liu Xiaobo will receive the Nobel Prize in a couple of days with due encouragement from the West..At the same time, Julian Assange, Wikileaks founder, is being hounded..Differential interpretations of democracy and freedom of speech????

 

[Peacefull]

Chinese leader should cancel the trip to india

Do not worry this visit will not be any more than hi, hello tea & coffee.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

China shouldnt take this personally.

 

[Peshwa]

I like that comedian. He is Canadian, can't recall his name now.

Obama or Sarkozy have not explicitly mentioned about the type of Permanent membership, ie with or without veto power. Seat without veto is what was talked about around 2005.

Yep...his name is Russel Peters.

I agree that Obama and Sarkozy have not mentioned the Veto option of the membership, but even securing a parmanent membership will be a good first step....

 

[sraja]

India should attend the meeting and i hope they will.