ID :
158376
Sat, 01/29/2011 - 20:51
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http://m.oananews.org//node/158376
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India-China progress on visas for Jammu and Kashmir residents
New Delhi, Jan 29, IRNA - India and China are making progress on the issue of stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir amidst indications that it should 'no longer' be a problem once the Chinese authorities are done dealing with it.
'Our embassy in Beijing has been in touch with the consular department of the Foreign Ministry in China and they have said they are working on a solution. And that they are dealing with the problem and that it should no longer be a problem once they are done dealing with it,' pti reported quoting officials as said in New Delhi.
However, they said, 'we are still waiting to see what the result of that is' and refused to take the issue as 'settled'.
Two sportsmen from Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as its territory, were issued stapled visa by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on January 4.
The latest move by China, despite assurance from Premiere Wen Jiabao during his visit to India that Beijing would take note of New Delhi’s serious concerns on the issue of stapled visas, is looked as yet another attempt by China to strengthen its claim on Arunachal Pradesh.
The China has been issuing stapled visas to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir for more than a year, thereby questioning the state's status as an integral part of India.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs had taken cognisance of the incident and noted that both of them are 'domiciled in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is an integral part of India'.
'We have unequivocally conveyed to the Chinese side that a uniform practice on issuance of visas to Indian nationals must be followed, regardless of the applicant’s ethnicity or place of domicile,' the ministry's official spokesperson, Vishnu Prakash had said.
He had pointed out that the ministry had issued a travel advisory dated Nov 12, 2009, informing Indian citizens that Chinese paper visas stapled on passports were not considered valid for travel out of the country.
On the arrest of some Chinese nationals, including a woman, in Uttar Pradesh near the Indo-Nepal border for allegedly sneaking into Indian territory and taking pictures of vital installations, according to Indian paramilitary personnel, they said they are under judicial custody.
They have broken the law and 'we have to go through the process of law,' the officials said.
'Our embassy in Beijing has been in touch with the consular department of the Foreign Ministry in China and they have said they are working on a solution. And that they are dealing with the problem and that it should no longer be a problem once they are done dealing with it,' pti reported quoting officials as said in New Delhi.
However, they said, 'we are still waiting to see what the result of that is' and refused to take the issue as 'settled'.
Two sportsmen from Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as its territory, were issued stapled visa by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi on January 4.
The latest move by China, despite assurance from Premiere Wen Jiabao during his visit to India that Beijing would take note of New Delhi’s serious concerns on the issue of stapled visas, is looked as yet another attempt by China to strengthen its claim on Arunachal Pradesh.
The China has been issuing stapled visas to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir for more than a year, thereby questioning the state's status as an integral part of India.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs had taken cognisance of the incident and noted that both of them are 'domiciled in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is an integral part of India'.
'We have unequivocally conveyed to the Chinese side that a uniform practice on issuance of visas to Indian nationals must be followed, regardless of the applicant’s ethnicity or place of domicile,' the ministry's official spokesperson, Vishnu Prakash had said.
He had pointed out that the ministry had issued a travel advisory dated Nov 12, 2009, informing Indian citizens that Chinese paper visas stapled on passports were not considered valid for travel out of the country.
On the arrest of some Chinese nationals, including a woman, in Uttar Pradesh near the Indo-Nepal border for allegedly sneaking into Indian territory and taking pictures of vital installations, according to Indian paramilitary personnel, they said they are under judicial custody.
They have broken the law and 'we have to go through the process of law,' the officials said.
