New Delhi: India and China on Tuesday agreed to set up a working mechanism on border management to deal with matters related to maintaining peace and tranquility in the frontier areas.
The mechanism, mooted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, was finalised at the conclusion of the 15th meeting of the Special Representatives (SR) on the boundary question – National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo in New Delhi.
The agreement to establish the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was signed by India's Ambassador to China S Jaishankar and China's Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin.
The working mechanism will undertake mutually agreed tasks but will not discuss resolution of the boundary question or affect the SR process.
It will be headed by a joint secretary-level officer from the Ministry of External Affairs and a Director General-level officer from the Chinese Foreign Ministry and will comprise diplomatic and military officials of the two sides.
"The Working Mechanism will address issues and situations that may arise in the border areas that affect the maintenance of peace and tranquility and will work actively towards maintaining the friendly atmosphere between the two countries," according to the text of the agreement released by the External Affairs Ministry.
It will study ways and means to conduct and strengthen exchanges and cooperation between military personnel and establishments of the two sides in the border areas. It will also explore the possibility of cooperation in the border areas that are agreed upon by the two sides.
Comments
0 comment