Updated 11 September 2020 at 18:59 IST
Rahul Gandhi downplays Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet, seeks focus only on 'status quo ante'
A day after S Jaishankar's meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Rahul Gandhi insisted that any talks must focus only on the restoration of status quo ante.
A day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meeting with his Chinese counterpart, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi insisted that any talks must focus only on the restoration of status quo ante. Reiterating his claim that Indian territory had been occupied, the Wayanad MP alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Centre was refusing to take responsibility for pushing China out of the country's land. According to him, any other kind of discussion was "worthless".
Jaishankar meets Wang Yi
Amid the faceoff at the Line of Actual Control, the EAM held a constructive discussion with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. As per the Ministry of External Affairs, they agreed on adhering to the consensus of their respective leaders on developing bilateral ties and not allowing differences to become disputes. Maintaining that the current situation in the border areas was not in the interest of either side, they stressed that troops of both nations should continue talks and quickly disengage.
Agreeing to follow the existing protocols, the Foreign Ministers observed that it was necessary to avoid any action to further escalate the matters. Moreover, they reposed confidence in the continuation of communication through the Special Representatives and the meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs. They formed a consensus on concluding new Confidence Building Measures to enhance peace in the border areas after the easing of the present faceoff.
Standoff continues
The LAC faceoff was exacerbated when 20 Indian Army soldiers including a Commanding Officer were martyred in the Galwan Valley on June 15 when the de-escalation process was underway. This was followed by multiple attempts of provocation by the Chinese side at the end of August. Meanwhile, Republic TV accessed pictures of China's PLA troops gathered near Rezang La in the southern Pangong Tso area at the Line of Actual Control on Monday evening.
Pictured with primitive weapons in their hand, it is perceived that the Chinese troops intended to repeat the Galwan Valley-type clash. However, the People's Liberation Army's successive attempts to unilaterally change the status quo have been thwarted by the Indian Army. Indian Army sources informed ANI that the two nations held talks at the Brigade Commander-level in Chushul which started at 11 am and ended at 3 pm.
Published By : Akhil Oka
Published On: 11 September 2020 at 18:59 IST