அறுபத்திரண்டு வருடகால தகராறு!

Issues: `China views Kashmir as a major dispute'
Tue, 02/09/2010 1:44 PM Reader's Forum
While Pakistan has been calling for the international community to help resolve the 62-year-old Kashmir dispute as per the wishes of the Kashmiri people, according to the United Nations resolutions, India has continued with its claims that Kashmir is an integral part of its nation. The world generally sees Kashmir as a land dispute between India and Pakistan. However, based on historical facts China is also a part of this complex issue to which a solution is essential for lasting peace in the region. China has been taking a different stance than India and views Kashmir as a separate entity and not an integral part of India.

The Indian media has reported in the past that China has been publishing tourist maps depicting Kashmir as a separate entity. Moreover, the Chinese consular department has been issuing visas to Kashmiris living in Indian-held Kashmir on a separate sheet of paper and not stamped in their passport claiming since Kashmir is a disputed region the Kashmiris are not considered Indian citizens and therefore should not be granted a visa on their Indian passport.

In November last year the Chinese authorities reiterated that they would continue issuing visas on a separate sheet as they believed that a solution to the Kashmir dispute was essential and should be solved through dialogue instead of continuing to idle. (By Laura Schuurmans, Beijing)