Reciprocal steps a must to ensure stable LAC: MEA
■ ‘ Both sides must refrain from bid to change status quo unilaterally’
■ EXTERNAL AFFAIRS ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said while the two sides work towards total disengagement in all friction areas, it was necessary to ensure stability on the ground.
India on Thursday said disengagement at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh was a complex process that not only requires redeployment of troops by each side towards their regular posts but also needs mutually agreed reciprocal actions. External affairs ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said while the two sides work towards total disengagement in all friction areas, it was also necessary to ensure stability on the ground and the latest corps commanders’ meeting should be seen in this overall context.
“The way ahead will be to refrain from making any attempts to unilaterally change the status quo, while the two sides continue their discussions to achieve complete disengagement in all friction areas and to ensure full restoration of peace and tranquility in border areas,” Mr Srivastava said with regard to the IndiaChina commanders’ meeting on Tuesday, that took place nearly 50 days after their last meeting.
“In this regard, the two sides have also decided to have the next meeting of the senior commanders at the earliest. In parallel, the next meeting of the WMCC ( Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination) is also likely
to take place soon,” he added.
“I would like to highlight that this is the first joint press release after any senior commanders’ meeting.
As such, it reflects the stated commitment of both sides to disengage along the LAC. Disengagement is a complex process that requires the redeployment of troops by each side towards their regular posts.
This would require mutually agreed reciprocal actions,” he said, while underlining that the foreign ministers of India and China had reached an agreement during their meeting in Moscow that the two sides should continue the dialogue and quickly and comprehensively disengage in all the friction areas.