New Delhi (NVI): India and China have agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side and therefore the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.
This was stated in a Joint Statement issued today after meeting between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow last evening which focussed on the four-month-long military faceoff at Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh created after Chinese aggression.
The two leaders, who met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, had “a frank and constructive discussion on the developments in the India-China border areas as well as on India-China relations”, said the statement which mentioned the five-point agreement reached.
“The two Ministers agreed that both sides should take guidance from the series of consensus of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes,” it said
Among other points of agreement, the two ministers agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.
“The two sides also agreed to continue to have dialogue and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the India-China boundary question. They also agreed in this context that the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC), should also continue its meetings,” it said.
The Ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new Confidence Building Measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas, the Joint statement said.
The meeting took place amidst heightened tensions and large mobilisation of troops and military assets, including tanks and heavy artillery, by both sides in the mountainous border area.
