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BRICS NSA Talks: Ajit Doval to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping amid Sikkim standoff

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval Will Call On Chinese President Xi Jinping On Friday Evening And Is Likely To Discuss The Contentious Issue Of Dokalam Dispute. The Issue Was Also Discussed In The Meeting Between Doval And His Chinese Counterpart Yang Jiechi On Thursday During BRICS NSA Level Talks.

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Arshi Aggarwal | Updated on: 28 Jul 2017, 09:30:04 AM
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval at 7th BRICS Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in Beijing (Pic: Indian Embassy)

New Delhi:

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will call on Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday evening and is likely to discuss the contentious issue of Dokalam dispute. The issue was also discussed in the meeting between Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on Thursday during BRICS NSA level talks. 

It was first high-level meeting between India and China since the military standoff erupted in the Sikkim sector on June 16, Chinese foreign ministry said on Thursday. 

The Chinese foreign ministry, in a brief readout on Doval-Yang meeting, said Yang “elaborated China’s position on bilateral issues and major problems”, which is being seen as an apparent reference to the standoff in the Dokalam area.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency also reported that Yang met separately with Doval and his other counterparts from South Africa and Brazil.

Though there was no direct reference to the Sikkim standoff in the Xinhua report, it said the talks between Doval and Yang included bilateral relations, international and regional issues and multilateral affairs.

Though China had maintained that there won’t be a meaningful dialogue without the unconditional withdrawal of Indian troops, India has been maintaining that the unilateral action by China to build a road in the area was altering the status quo and had serious security implications for India.

Suggested read | NSA Ajit Doval reaches Beijing amid Sikkim standoff, to attend BRICS top security officials meeting

India has also been pitching for a diplomatic solution to resolve the standoff but sought simultaneous withdrawal of troops of both the sides from the tri-junction with Bhutan.

However, the Chinese official media has been carrying a blistering campaign accusing India of trespassing into the Chinese territory.

Doval arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to take part in the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (BRICS) NSAs meeting being hosted by Yang, who, like Doval, is the Special Representative for India-China boundary talks.

His visit has raised expectations about the likelihood of India and China finding a way out of the over the month-long standoff.

While the media had no access to NSA meetings, it will be allowed to cover tomorrow’s joint meeting of the NSAs of the five-member bloc.

About the BRICS NSAs meeting, the Chinese foreign ministry on Monday said that the meeting on security issues is a major platform for BRICS countries to discuss and conduct cooperation in politics and security fields.

“It bears great significance for these countries to strengthen strategic communication, enhance political mutual trust and elevate their impact on global affairs.”

As agreed by all parties, those at the meeting will discuss on topics including global governance, anti-terrorism, internet security and energy security, as well as major international and regional hot spot issues and national security and development, Lu said.

The military standoff began on June 16 when Chinese troops attempted to lay a road in the Dokalam area. Doka La is the Indian name for the region which Bhutan recognises as Dokalam, while China claims it as part of its Donglang region.

India and China share a 220-km-long border in Sikkim section.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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First Published : 28 Jul 2017, 08:02:37 AM

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