China to address issue of stapled visas during Wen’s visit

Dec 13, 2010 : Terming Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to New Delhi as a “big event” in Sino-India relations, China on Monday said it would address the contentious issues like stapled visas to residents ofJammu and Kashmir as well as India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

“We will not exclude the possibility of discussions on any issue. For the issues such as visas, I believe the working level staff will talk about it between our two countries,” Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue, who briefed the media in Beijing about Wens visit to India and Pakistan, said.

Indian officials had said that China has promised to come up with some solution to solve the issue amid reports that some residents of Jammu and Kashmir already started getting regular visas.

The defence exchanges were put on hold after top Indian General B S Jaswal was denied visa on the ground that he headed troops of Jammu and Kashmir, which China regards as “disputed territory”.

Hu also said the proposed dam being built by China on Brahmpatura river in Tibet would not affect water availability to India and the down stream countries.

Asked whether the issue of India’s bid for the permanent membership of UNSC would figure during Wen’s visit in the light of US President Barrack Obama’s announcement extending support for it, Hu said Wen would discuss it during talks with the Indian leaders.

“Our discussions will touch upon this matter. It is not for the first time it has come up in our discussions. Our two countries have exchanged views on many occasions and publicised documents. We have made our stand clear.

We are happy to see India playing a bigger role in international arena including the United Nations,” Hu said without specifying whether China would come out in support.

China view the three-day visit of Wen to New Delhi will be “big event in India-China relations”, Hu said.

On the Brahmaputra dam issue, he said “China and India have had very good communications and this will not pose as any obstacle to the development of our relations and will not affect the life of people living in the downstream of the river,” he said.

(Courtesy : http://apnnews.com)