India, China, Pak trilateral cooperation can help maintain peace: Chinese envoy

Endorsing the idea of trilateral cooperation between India, China and Pakistan under the aegis of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Beijing's envoy Luo Zhaohui today said such an arrangement could "in the future" help resolve bilateral issues between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Reacting to Luo's remarks about the possible trilateral summit, the Ministry of External Affairs said matters related to India-Pakistan ties are "purely bilateral in nature" and have "no scope for involvement of any third party".

The Chinese envoy to India also said that the India-China bilateral ties can't take the strain of another Doklam episode and emphasised the need to find a "mutually acceptable solution" on the border dispute through a meeting of special representatives.

He said "some Indian friends" had suggested trilateral cooperation comprising India, China and Pakistan under the aegis of the SCO, which was a "very constructive idea".

"Security cooperation is one of the three pillars of the SCO. Some Indian friends suggested that China, India and Pakistan may have some kind of trilateral cooperation under the SCO," he said in his keynote address on 'Beyond Wuhan: How Far and Fast can China-India Relations Go' at an event organised by the Chinese embassy here.

Responding to a question on whether a trilateral meet between the Asian neighbours will help in solving the India-Pakistan dispute, he said he personally considers it "a good and constructive idea".

"Maybe not now, but in the future, that is the great idea. It will help to resolve bilateral issues and help to maintain peace and tranquillity," he said.

The envoy's remarks come after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain exchanged pleasantries following a press conference by SCO leaders in Qingdao last week.

In response to queries on the comments made by Luo on a possible trilateral summit between India, China and Pakistan, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: "We have seen reports on comments made by the Chinese ambassador in this matter. We have not received any such suggestion from the Chinese government.

"We consider the statement as the personal opinion of the ambassador. Matters related to India-Pakistan relations are purely bilateral in nature and have no scope for involvement of any third country."