Wuhan (China): India today discussed with China key bilateral issues, including seeking Beijing's support for its quest for a permanent UNSC seat and its concerns over stapled visas to Kashmiris, as the two countries prepared for the crucial visit of Premier Wen Jiabao to New Delhi next month.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, who arrived here in the central Chines city today on two-day visit to attend the meeting of Foreign Ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC), held separate bilateral talks with his Russian and Chinese counterparts on its sidelines.
In a 70-minute meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jeichi, Krishna sought China's support for India's bid for UNSC permanent seat, stressing the need for the international community to focus "intensively on this issue".
During the meeting, Yang gave "positive" indicators over supporting New Delhi's bid for the membership of the powerful world body, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told journalists.
While seeking China s support, India also asked it to be sensitive to its concerns relating to Jammu and Kashmir just as it is alive to Beijing's concerns over Tibet and Taiwan.
Referring to the issue of stapled visas being issued by China to residents of Jammu and Kashmir over which India has raised strong objections, Krishna told Yang that as India-China relations evolved and grow both sides should show mutual sensitivity to each other s concerns.
"In the context of Jammu and Kashmir issue, he (Krishna) expressed hope that China would be very sensitive to our concerns on this very vital issue for India, just as we have been sensitive to Chinese concerns, for instance on the
Tibet Autonomous region and Taiwan," Rao said.
China considers Tibet and Taiwan as inalienable part of its territory.
Asked for her comments on Chinese reaction to the stapled visa row, Rao said, "You have to read the right meaning in what was conveyed by our Minister to the Chinese Minister".
The public reference to Tibet and Taiwan by India is seen here as a significant indication to show its strong feelings towards China's stand on the stapled visa issue.
The row had culminated in denying visa to the top Indian General B.S. Jaswal on the ground that he headed troops in Jammu and Kashmir, which China considers a disputed area.
Responding to Krishna s assertions, Yang said China has always held the view that Kashmir issue should be appropriately resolved through dialogue and consultations between India and Pakistan. He said this had been China s
position and continues to be so and it has not altered in anyway.
Indian officials hope that China would make efforts to resolve the issue of stapled visas when Chinese Premier Wen visits India next month.
On the issue of New Delhi's permanent membership of the UNSC, Rao quoted Yang as saying that China valued the important role of India in the international affairs and understood and supported India in its desire to play greater role in the affairs of the Security Council.
"China was willing to continue and to increase the consultation and communication with India on the UN reforms," Rao quoted the Chinese Foreign Minister as saying.
"In fact there is overwhelming support from the members of UN for the reorganisation of UNSC, Rao quoted Krishna as saying.
In response Yang said he "definitely recognised that there had been fundamental change in the world situation and that reform of international bodies especially the UN needed active consideration."
Reacting to Yang's comments, Rao said the idea of consultation and close communication incrementally speaking is a positive indicator. Whether they have given us full scale endorsement it would be inaccurate to say that. Certainly they are alert to this issue and indeed as what happened in the last few months, we have seen increased focus on it," she said.
The two countries have lined up several meetings, which included the strategic dialogue between the two nations to be conducted by Rao tomorrow.
This would be followed by the 14th round of talks to resolve the border dispute to be conducted by National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon towards the end of the month in Beijing.
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