By DPA
Wellington : New Zealand immigration officials refused entry visas to up to 20 members of a 30-person delegation of Indian businessmen invited to a conference to discuss expanding trade links, the political opposition claimed Friday.
Tim Groser, international trade spokesman for the opposition National Party, called it a “bureaucratic bungle” and “potentially a major blunder”.
Trade Minister Phil Goff, who Wednesday spoke of the two countries’ “longstanding and warm relationship” when he opened the India-New Zealand Joint Business Council meeting, said an investigation had been launched.
Groser, who claimed that up to 20 Indians had been denied visas by immigration officials based in New Delhi, said: “New Zealand is an exporting country. Forging new links with trading partners is a crucial to our future economic growth.”
Goff said he had sought an explanation from Immigration Minister David Cunliffe, who had initiated an inquiry in his department.
“Until we have received the facts from New Delhi, where the decision was made to deny the visas, it would be premature to reach any conclusions about whether the visa denials were or were not justified,” Goff said.
He said the Indian government had been aware that the visas had been refused before the delegation left for New Zealand, but had not complained.
Goff formally welcomed the delegation to what he called “this important meeting” in his speech to the council, saying it “provides ample evidence of the close personal and professional linkages that our business people already enjoy.”