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

K J M Varma
Beijing, Dec 13 (PTI) 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 of Jammu 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 here about Wen’s 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 northern Indian state, 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. (MORE) PTI