India and China have agreed to “appropriately resolve” the issue of stapled visas to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir with an understanding that officials will continue to meet on the issue, Indian envoy to China S. Jaishankar said on Sunday, following Premier Wen Jiabao’s visit to New Delhi.
The issue of issuance of stapled visas to residents of Jammu and Kashmir, which has raised concerns of sovereignty and integrity of India, figured prominently during the bilateral talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mr Wen. Speaking at a prime time show on the state-run CCTV here, Mr Jaishankar said stapled visas was one of issues that “caught a lot of attention” during the visit of Mr Wen.
“This (stapled visas) caused a lot public resentment in India. Here again it was candidly discussed, (during the talks between Wen and Singh). There was an understanding that officials will meet and this would be appropriately resolved. Few months from now if I am sitting with you I might give you more positive outlook on this issue,” he said, adding the issue raised concerns over the sovereignty and integrity of India. The differences over the nsure nothing goes wrong at the borders. With 3,500 km long borders anything can go wrong,” he said.unsettled border issues also figured high in the Wen-Singh talks.
“Border is complicated issue. It is a border of 3,500 km (Chinese official media says only 2,000 km omitting about 1,600 km on the Jammu and Kashmir front) most of it is unsettled. So it is complicated negotiations” being conducted by the Special Representatives of both the countries, he said.
The two sides held the 14th round of border talks before Mr Wen’s visit to India. “The most important development so far is that borders remained peaceful and tranquil and that we have agreements in 1993, 1996 and 2005 to ensure nothing goes wrong at the borders. With 3,500 km long borders anything can go wrong,” he said.