India, China in defence row over general's visit (Roundup)

Aug 27, 2010, 13:43 GMT

New Delhi - India on Friday put defence exchanges with China on hold after Beijing turned down a general's proposed visit on the grounds that he commands forces in the disputed Kashmir region.

India had nominated Lieutenant General BS Jaswal, who heads India's Northern Army Command, as its representative for a regular high-level exchange visit to China in August, the Times of India newspaper reported.

But China said it was unwilling to welcome Jaswal because he controls a disputed area, the report said, citing Ministry of External Affairs sources.

Pakistan and India both claim Kashmir and have fought two wars over it since achieving independence from Britain in 1947. China, a close ally of Pakistan, also claims a part of Kashmir which it says should be part of Tibet.

Since 2009, China has been issuing visas to Kashmir residents on separate pieces of paper which are to be stapled to the passport. India has protested against this practice and not allowed Kashmiris holding these visas to travel out of the country.

The Chinese government said Jaswal came from the 'sensitive location of Jammu and Kashmir' and that 'people from this part of the world come with a different kind of visa,' PTI news agency quoted defence sources as saying.

India responded to China's stand with a strongly worded diplomatic protest, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said.

Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yang Friday met ministry officials to discuss the issue.

New Delhi also refused permission to two Chinese officials to visit India for a course at the National Defence College, and cancelled a scheduled visit by military officials to China, the Times of India said.

'While we value our exchanges with China, there must be sensitivity to each others' concerns. Our dialogue with China on these issues is ongoing,' ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said in a release which attempted to play down the row.

Defence ties with China were suspended, not cancelled, a source in India's Defence Ministry said. 'A response is now being awaited from Beijing,' he added.

'It is not the question of breaking defence ties with China. We have close ties with China though there could be some problems occasionally,' Defence Minister AK Antony was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

'Short-term problems would not affect India's overall approach towards China,' Antony said.

Asia's fastest growing big economies, India and China have had troubled relations but have been increasingly engaging over recent years.

Their differences are largely over a parts of a 3,500-kilometre border along the Himalayan range, much of it undemarcated. The two sides fought a brief border war in 1962.

India's granting refuge to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama is an added bone of contention.