New Delhi (NVI): Senior foreign ministry officials of India and China discuss today held another round of talks to resolve the situation at Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh through the 17th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
The two sides reviewed the situation in the India-China border areas and the ongoing disengagement process along the Line of Actual Control (LAC )in the Western Sector, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement today.
The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation.
As maintained past meetings military and diplomatic level talks, officials from both sides agreed that early disengagement and full restoration of peace and tranquility is essential for smooth development of bilateral ties.
“They agreed that early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquillity was essential for smooth overall development of bilateral relations,” the MEA said in a statement.
The two sides also noted that this was in accordance with the agreement reached between the two Special Representatives (SRs) during their telephonic conversation on 5 July 2020.
They agreed in this regard that it was necessary for both sides to sincerely implement the understandings reached between Senior Commanders in their meetings till date, MEA said.
During the meeting, the two sides also agreed that another meeting of the Senior Commanders may be held soon so as to work out further steps to ensure “expeditiously complete disengagement and de-escalation and restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas”.
Apart from that, the two sides also agreed to maintain their ongoing engagements both at the diplomatic and military level, including through the meetings of WMCC.
The WMCC meet came a day after India put the onus on China for maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas by saying that it expects Beijing to “sincerely” disengage and de-escalate completely in Ladakh.
Tensions between India and China over border row have simmered for long now, following border skirmishes between the Indian and Chinese troops at several points at LAC this year and most recently the violent clashes in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.
-ARK
