India, China agree to resolve outstanding issues in expeditious manner, continue working sincerely for complete disengagement along LAC
Aug 20, 2020
New Delhi [India], August 20 : India and China on Thursday agreed to resolve the outstanding issues in an "expeditious manner and in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols" and said the two sides will continue to sincerely work towards complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.
The two countries held the 18th meeting of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on border affairs on Thursday and agreed that restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas would be essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.
An External Affairs Ministry release said that the two sides had a "candid and in-depth exchange of views" on the existing situation in the India-China border areas.
The Indian delegation was led by Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in Ministry of External Affairs while the Director-General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation.
"The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on the existing situation in the India-China border areas. They reaffirmed that in accordance with the agreements reached between the two Foreign Ministers and the two Special Representatives (SRs), 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," the release said.
"In this context, they agreed to resolve the outstanding issues in an expeditious manner and in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols. The two sides were in agreement that restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas would be essential for the overall development of bilateral relations," it added.
The two sides acknowledged the need to maintain close communication through both the diplomatic and military channels so as to ensure "complete disengagement".
They also agreed to continue their ongoing engagements including through the meetings of the WMCC.
The release laid stress on complete disengagement along LAC. De-escalation along border areas was not specifically mentioned in the release though India has been insisting on it.
The seventeenth meeting of WMCC was held last month in which the two countries 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.
Chinese troops have been camping in the Finger area in Eastern Ladakh for over three months now and have even started fortifying their bases with the construction of bunkers and sangars.
India had said earlier that it expects that China will sincerely work with it for complete disengagement of troops along LAC in Eastern Ladakh and de-escalation along with the full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
