New Delhi [India], July 6, 2020: After months of impasse on the brewing tensions between Indian and China on the border stand-off along Galwan valley, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Sunday held discussions with Chinese Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.
As per Ministry of External Affairs, NSA Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang had frank and in-depth exchange of views on recent developments in border areas, particularly the Western Sector, reported news agency PTI. The discussion took place during a phone conversation on Sunday.
In accordance with the existing diplomatic agreements between the two countries, NSA Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister agreed that both sides should take guidance from consensus of the leaders that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in India-China border areas was essential for development of bilateral relations and that two sides shouldn’t allow differences to become disputes.
MEA, in a statement regarding the discussion, stated that the two dignitaries have agreed that it was necessary to ensure at the earliest complete disengagement of troops along LAC & de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility
“In this regard, they further agreed that both sides should complete the ongoing disengagement process along the LAC expeditiously. The two sides should also ensure a phased and stepwise de-escalation in the India-China border areas,” said MEA in an official statement.
Both Doval and Yi have re-affirmed that both sides should strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control and should not take any unilateral action to alter the status quo and work together to avoid any incident in the future that could disturb peace and tranquillity in border areas.
Meanwhile, Chine FM spokespersons Zhao Lijian has also reiterated similar sentiments and have asserted that China and India have made progress coming up with effective measures for frontline troops to disengage and deescalate the border situation at the third commander-level talks between the two militaries on June 30.
It may be noted that the Indian and Chinese armies are locked in a bitter standoff in multiple locations in eastern Ladakh for the last seven weeks.
