Cong denies Sonia refuses to meet Chinese foreign minister

New Delhi, Sept 10 (PTI) The Congress Wednesday denied reports that party president Sonia Gandhi had refused to meet the Chinese foreign minister Yang Jiechi.

"News reports in a section of the press are incorrect
and baseless...there was no scheduled meeting between the
Congress President and the Chinese Foreign Minister," Congress
spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.

Ahmed said the attempt to link it (reports of Sonia's
alleged denial) with the Nuclear Suppliers Group (N.S.G.) "was
unfortunate".
He said the Indian National Congress and the Communist
Party of China (C.P.C.) share cordial relationships and the
party president had recently visited China at the invitation
of the C.P.C. and signed an M.o.U.

Asked whether a request was made by the Chinese Foreign
Minister for a meeting with Gandhi, Ahmed said only the
foreign ministry would be able to reply.

"I repeat there was no meeting scheduled. I have nothing
more to add to it," he said. PTI