New Delhi: After the completion of disengagement at Pangong Tso, Indian and Chinese foreign ministers spoke on Thursday afternoon to review the process and implement the “five guiding principles” reached at their meeting in Moscow last year.
The conversation between the two foreign ministers took place against the backdrop of the disengagement between the two militaries at southern and northern banks of Pangong Tso at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
India and China have been involved in a military stand-off since early May at multiple points in eastern Ladakh. In June last year, 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed in a violent face-off at Galwan valley.
Spoke to State Councilor & Foreign Minister Wang Yi this afternoon. Discussed the implementation of our Moscow Agreement and reviewed the status of disengagement.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 25, 2021
In a tweet, Indian external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said that the two ministers “discussed the implementation of our Moscow agreement and reviewed the status of disengagement”.
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Earlier in the day, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that both sides considered the “smooth and successful completion of disengagement in the North and South Bank as a significant first step as this forms a basis for resolution of remaining issues so as to achieve the eventual goal of complete disengagement in all friction areas”.
He added that India and China “have agreed to work towards a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues”.
The Moscow agreement that Jaishankar referred to were the five “guiding principles” that the two ministers agreed at their meeting in Moscow on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation on September 10.
These included understanding that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue and abide by all the border agreements and protocol.