Bhubaneswar: India and China have agreed on five points to guide their approach to the situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including the disengagement of troops and easing of border tensions.
The consensus was reached during talks between external Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held an almost two-hour-long discussion in Moscow on Thursday evening.
A joint statement issued early on Friday morning said the foreign ministers agreed “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”.
They further agreed “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”.
The five-point consensus between India and China is as follows:
1. 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.
2. The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
Ms Kalinga