Need to Implement Disengagement Agreement: India & China Diplomats

Working Mechanism meeting acknowledges Doval-Wang talks, reiterates need to de-escalate border situation.

Rawat added that the mechanisms established between India and China are working “very well”.

(Photo: The Quint)

Indian and Chinese diplomats part of the working mechanism for India-China border affairs held their 16th meeting on Friday, 10 July.

During the meeting, the officials reiterated the agreements made by the foreign ministers and Special Representatives of both nations, and, in an important statement on the disengagement process in Ladakh said

“They agreed that it was necessary for both sides to sincerely implement the understandings reached between Senior Commanders.”

The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs was set up in 2012 to resolve tensions along the LAC and other border areas at a diplomatic level. The last meeting of the WMCC was on 24 June.

It is headed by joint-secretary level officials from both countries – currently Joint Secretary East Asia from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Naveen Srivastava and Director General of Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wu Jianghao.

At the meeting on Friday, the diplomats recalled the agreement for disengagement arrived at by the foreign ministers of India and China on 17 June, and that of the Special Representatives (NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi). Borh sides are to ensure complete disengagement of troops along the LAC, and de-escalation from all border areas.

“They also agreed that for the overall development of bilateral relations it was essential to maintain enduring peace and tranquillity in the border areas”, according to a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs.

On the disengagement along the LAC in the Western Sector, ie, the region where the recent tensions have been at their highest, including the Galwan Valley clash, the diplomats agreed that the understandings reached by the military commanders in the region needed to be respected.

The recent meetings of the Corps Commanders and their agreement on disengagement has led to both sides pull troops back. The diplomats stated that the senior commanders are to meet soon to discuss further steps, as agreed by the Special Representatives.

Another meeting of the WMCC is to be held in the near future, as the two sides have “agreed to maintain the ongoing communication both at the diplomatic and military level to ensure early resolution of the situation.”