PM-Wen meeting tomorrow: Stapled visa issue to figure in talks

Ajay Kaul
Hanoi, Oct 28 (PTI) In the first top level contact since
the Sino-India defence exchanges were suspended in July,
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet his Chinese
counterpart Wen Jiabao here Friday during which the
controversial issue of stapled visas to Kashmiris along with
economic aspects of the relationship are expected to figure.
However, sources in the Indian government expressed hope
that the meeting would be good and "substantive."
The meeting between the two Prime Ministers on the
sidelines of ASEAN-India and East Asia Summits is taking place
in the backdrop of China's refusal to relent on its policy of
issuing stapled visas to people of Jammu and Kashmir, an
action which is seen as questioning India's sovereignty.
The issue is expected to figure in the talks between
Singh and Wen, with the Indian side likely to voice its
concern over this practice.
China started the practice of issuing the stapled visas
about two years back and the issue triggered a major row in
July this year when Beijing wanted to give such a visa to
India's Northern Area Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal.
India responded by suspending high-level defence
exchanges for which Lt Gen Jaswal was travelling to Beijing
and has repeatedly made it clear that these will remain on
"pause" till China reverts to its earlier position on Jammu
and Kashmir.
China has, however, maintained that it will not change
its stand.
Sources said economic aspects of the relationship will
come up during the talks amid India's concerns over trade
imbalance in favour of China.
Trade between the two fast-growing economies has been
increasing and is targeted to be USD 60 billion. However, it
is in favour of China to the tune of about 15 billion dollars,
particularly because of lack of adequate access to India's
pharmaceuticals and services in China.
India has been pressing China to give more free access
and has been assured that it would be considered, sources
said. (More) PTI