New Delhi (NVI): Amid the ongoing border row with China in Ladakh, India today said that complete disengagement would require both sides to re-deploy their troops on each side of the border at their regular posts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
“Complete disengagement requires re-deployment of troops by each side towards their regular posts on their respective sides of the LAC,” MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava today said, adding that this can be done only through mutually agreed reciprocal actions.
“Thus it is important to bear in mind that achieving this requires agreed actions by both sides,” he added.
India and China have engaged in diplomatic and military level talks to resolve the border issue for long now, since the tensions between the two countries started in May.
While addressing the weekly media briefing here, the MEA spokesperson said that in the last meeting of the WMCC, the two sides agreed to resolve the outstanding issues in an expeditious manner and in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols.
“Both sides also agree that full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas would be essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. The two sides had also agreed to continue their engagements both through diplomatic and military channels,” Srivastava said.
The 18th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) took place last week during which the two sides had a “candid” and “in-depth exchange” of views on the existing situation in the India-China border areas, he said.
Srivastava reiterated India’s commitment to resolve the matter through diplomatic and peaceful means and referred to the agreements reached between the foreign ministers and Special Representatives from the two countries recently.
“Both sides have reaffirmed that the two sides will continue to sincerely work towards complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector in accordance with the agreements reached between the two Foreign Ministers and the two Special Representatives (SRs) during their conversation on 5th July,” he said.
The MEA spokesman also referred to a recent interview of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in which he talked about various past border incidents between India and China and noted that what was common was that all borders situations were resolved through diplomacy.
“When it comes to finding a solution, this must be predicated on honouring all agreements and understandings. And not attempting to alter the status quo unilaterally,” EAM Jaishankar had told Rediff.com in an interview ahead of the release of his book ‘The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World’.
-ARK
