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New Delhi: Ahead of external affairs minister SM Krishnas visit to Beijing on Monday, China issued a stamped visa to Kashmiri professor M Ahmed. Earlier, its embassy had been issuing stapled visas to Kashmiris, signalling that Kashmir was not part of India.
While some analysts said the stamped passport was a message that the spat between India and China over stapled visas was a thing of the past, sources in the government are not jumping to conclusions. A senior source said a one-off stamped visa did not mean a change in policy. It is only when every passport from Kashmir is stamped can it be conclude that China has changed policy.
Wait and watch was the diktat from South Block. Once in a while a passport slips through and is stamped, sources pointed out. During the Beijing Olympics, a man from Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as disputed, was given a visa without fuss. As a rule, Beijing refuses visas to people living in Arunachal, on the grounds that doing so would signal Indias sovereignty over the northeastern state.
On Saturday, Indian officials briefing on SM Krishnas visit had said that a major irritant was the issue of stapled visas as it questions Indias sovereignty. This core concern would be raised with the Chinese, Gautam Bambawale, the joint secretary dealing with East Asia, said.
What irritated New Delhi even more was that China was batting for Pakistan, which has always called for Kashmiri independence. By refusing to give Kashmiris the same kind of visas issued to other Indian nationals, Beijing was clearly echoing Islamabads line. While Pakistan and Chinas friendship is well known, this needling on the sensitive issuedid not amuse South Block.
Kashmiris wanting to go to China often take the easy way. They fly to Hong Kong or Macaw and get visas from there. Nobody is there to check whether their visas are stapled or stamped. At Delhi airport, authorities refuse to allow Kashmiris with stapled visas.
China issues stamped visa to Kashmiri; India not impressed - dnaindia.com
While some analysts said the stamped passport was a message that the spat between India and China over stapled visas was a thing of the past, sources in the government are not jumping to conclusions. A senior source said a one-off stamped visa did not mean a change in policy. It is only when every passport from Kashmir is stamped can it be conclude that China has changed policy.
Wait and watch was the diktat from South Block. Once in a while a passport slips through and is stamped, sources pointed out. During the Beijing Olympics, a man from Arunachal Pradesh, which China claims as disputed, was given a visa without fuss. As a rule, Beijing refuses visas to people living in Arunachal, on the grounds that doing so would signal Indias sovereignty over the northeastern state.
On Saturday, Indian officials briefing on SM Krishnas visit had said that a major irritant was the issue of stapled visas as it questions Indias sovereignty. This core concern would be raised with the Chinese, Gautam Bambawale, the joint secretary dealing with East Asia, said.
What irritated New Delhi even more was that China was batting for Pakistan, which has always called for Kashmiri independence. By refusing to give Kashmiris the same kind of visas issued to other Indian nationals, Beijing was clearly echoing Islamabads line. While Pakistan and Chinas friendship is well known, this needling on the sensitive issuedid not amuse South Block.
Kashmiris wanting to go to China often take the easy way. They fly to Hong Kong or Macaw and get visas from there. Nobody is there to check whether their visas are stapled or stamped. At Delhi airport, authorities refuse to allow Kashmiris with stapled visas.
China issues stamped visa to Kashmiri; India not impressed - dnaindia.com
