India, China to set-up border mechanism
India and China on Tuesday agreed to set up a working mechanism on border management to deal with important border issues and to ensure peace along the border. HT reports.
India and China on Tuesday agreed to set up a working mechanism on border management to deal with important border issues and to ensure peace along the border.
The working mechanism, mooted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, was finalised at the conclusion of the 15th meeting of the special representatives on the boundary issue between national security advisor Shivshankar Menon and Chinese state councillor Dai Bingguo.
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.
According to the pact, it will "undertake other tasks that are mutually agreed upon by the two sides but will not discuss resolution of the boundary question or affect the special representatives mechanism”. The foreign ministries of both the nations will directly deal with border incidents, foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai later explained.
It will be headed by a joint secretary-level officer from the external affairs ministry and a DG-level officer from the Chinese foreign ministry and will comprise diplomatic and military officials of the two sides.
The working mechanism will hold consultations once or twice each year alternately in India and China. Emergency consultations, if required, may be convened after mutual agreement.