No defence exchanges till China changes position on JK: India

Ajay Kaul
Tokyo, Oct 24 (PTI) India has made it clear to China
that the defence exchanges suspended in July will remain on
"pause" till Beijing reverts to its long-held position on
Jammu and Kashmir.
The issue along with China's new practice of issuing
visa to people from Jammu and Kashmir on loose sheets instead
of passport and the boundary dispute are among the matters
expected to figure prominently when India's Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh meets his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in
Hanoi later this week.
India has witnessed with concern the change in China's
position on Jammu and Kashmir.
As part of its changed position, China refused to give
proper visa to Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal
because he serves in 'sensitive' Jammu and Kashmir and instead
wanted to give stapled visa to him.
This upset India, which put on hold high-level defence
exchanges as part of which Jaswal was going there.
China has conveyed its keenness to resume the exchanges,
but India has made it clear that these will remain "on pause"
till such issues are sorted out, sources said.
The sources emphasised that it was China which had "tied
the knot" and it was for it to untie it.
"Let us see how far it goes," they said.
India, though wanting all kinds of defence exchanges
with China, underlined that it is in no hurry to end the pause
unless China's position changes.
The sources pointed out though defence exchanges are
on hold, military interactions at lower level like border
meetings are continuing.
The change in China's position on Jammu and Kashmir is
also reflected by its increasing activities in parts of the
state under Pakistani control.
India has already lodged protest against this
indulgement by China.
The sources said though China has been denying any
change in its position the ground situation is otherwise.
On boundary question, the Special Representatives are
expected to meet soon and the date could be announced after
the meeting in Hanoi. (More) PTI