India, China Agree To End Sikkim Stand-Off, Troops Being Withdrawn From Doklam

[Laozi]

India, China Agree To End Sikkim Stand-Off, Troops Being Withdrawn From Doklam

The disengagement of troops from Doklam comes ahead of PM Modi's visit to China for BRICS meet.

New Delhi:
China and India have agreed to end a lengthy stand-off at the Sikkim border that began in June, said the government today. The breakthrough was reached by diplomatic talks, India said.

"On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going," said the Foreign Ministry.

The breakthrough comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China in a few weeks for a summit of the BRICS group of nations. Indian sources said that soldier from both sides have begun withdrawing, but the process of removing them will not be completed today.

The conflict, which was the worst in decades, saw 300 soldiers from each side, confronting each other on the remote Doklam plateau in the Eastern Himalayas. India ignored repeated baiting and aggressive rhetoric by China to insist it would seek diplomatic channels to resolve the tension.

India had also urged that both sides withdraw troops to engage in dialogue; Beijing insisted on the unilateral pulling out of India's soldiers.

In June, Indian soldiers crossed the Sikkim border to stop China from constructing a road on the Doklam Plateau, which is disputed territory for Chin and Bhutan. India has sided with Bhutan's claim. Delhi had also stressed that it had forewarned China that the road would be seen as a serious security concern because of the access it opens up to the narrow sliver of land called the "Chicken's Neck" that links India to its northeastern states.


China retorted that it had every right to build a road in a region that is part of its territory.

Chinese media and spokespersons repeatedly warned of military escalation, a possible "countdown to war" and of a repeat of India's humiliating defeat by China in 1962.

Then, two weeks ago, Chinese and Indian soldiers clashed at the picturesque Pangong Lake in Ladakh in the Western Himalayas. On camera, soldiers were seen hurtling stones at each other. Delhi said the two-hour conflict was triggered by China attempting an incursion onto the Indian side of the lake.

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/india-china-agree-to-disengage-in-doklam-1742859

 

[Oracle]

Indian troops withdran from doklam

 

[alibaz]

China ‘pleased’ at troops withdrawal
CHINA said yesterday that it was “pleased” India had agreed to withdraw troops from a border area in the Himalayas following a military stand-off lasting more than two months.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Chinese personnel completed an on-site check around 2:30pm and verified that Indian troops and equipment had pulled back in the morning from the Dong Lang area.

India’s foreign ministry announced earlier an “expeditious disengagement” in the area after reaching an “understanding” with China on a confrontation.

“I am pleased to confirm that trespassing Indian personnel have all pulled back to the Indian side of the boundary,” Hua told a regular news briefing in Beijing. “Chinese troops continue to patrol on the Chinese side of the boundary.”

On June 18, more than 270 armed Indian troops with two bulldozers crossed the boundary in the Sikkim sector and advanced more than 100 meters into Chinese territory to obstruct routine road construction in the Dong Lang area of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Hua said that since the Indian trespass occurred, China has lodged representations to India through diplomatic means on multiple instances. It has explained the situation to the international community, and urged India to immediately withdraw its border troops to the Indian side of the boundary.

Meanwhile, Chinese troops have taken effective measures to safeguard China’s territorial sovereignty and lawful interests, she said.

Dong Lang, which borders India’s Sikkim state to the west and the Kingdom of Bhutan to the south, is Chinese territory and has been under Chinese rule for a very long time, she said.

According to the Convention between Great Britain and China Relating to Sikkim and Tibet (1890), the area undoubtedly belongs to China, she added.

The agreement was inherited by India after the former British colony’s independence and has been repeatedly confirmed in writing by successive governments of the country.

Hua said China has “neighborly friendship” with India and expects it to respect boundary treaties and basic principles of international law, and to work with China to safeguard peace and stability in the border area on the basis of mutual respect for each other’s territorial sovereignty.

“We will, based on mutual respect for sovereignty, uphold peace and tranquility in border areas with India,” Hua said

http://www.shanghaidaily.com/nation/China-pleased-at-troops-withdrawal/shdaily.shtml