NEW DELHI: A two-hour long phone call between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi late on Sunday got the ball rolling for the disengagement of troops in Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control.
“NSA Doval and minister Wang — the two special representatives on the boundary issue — had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the recent developments in the Western Sector of the border areas,” a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs said.
Sources said Doval and Yi laid emphasis on restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC to prevent such incidents in future.
“The two special representatives agreed that both sides should take guidance from the consensus of the leaders that maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas was essential for the further development of our bilateral relations and that two sides should not allow differences to become disputes.
Therefore, they agreed that it was necessary to ensure at the earliest complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquillity. In this regard they further agreed that both sides should complete the ongoing disengagement process along the LAC expeditiously,” the statement read.
The two leaders also agreed to ensure a phased and step-wise de-escalation in the border areas and that no side should try to unilaterally alter the status quo to ensure that no further incidents occur.
“The two special representatives agreed that the diplomatic and military officials of the two sides should continue their discussions, including under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs, and implement the understandings reached in a timely manner to achieve the above outcomes. It was also agreed that the two special representatives will continue their conversations to ensure full and enduring restoration of peace and tranquillity in border areas,” the MEA statement said.