Sanjha Morcha

India Reminds China of Astana Consensus to End Dispute Over Doklam

New Delhi: Even as NSA Ajit Doval engages with his BRICS counterparts in Beijing, New Delhi once again tried to convey to China that it was looking at resolving the stand-off in Doklam through diplomacy.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Gopal Baglay elaborated on Sushma Swaraj’s reply to the Rajya Sabha on the issue, saying that a resolution should be sought based on the Astana consensus.The Astana consensus states that “differences between India and China should be addressed in a manner that they don’t become disputes”, Baglay said.Despite repeated questions though the spokesperson did not divulge information on whether Doval will speak to his Chinese counterpart State Councillor Yang Jeichi in Beijing separately over the current stand-off near Sikkim. Doval will be calling on Chinese President Xi Jinping as will the other BRICS security advisors.Baglay also pointed out that the Astana consensus which was reached between Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of the SCO summit earlier this year stresses on the significance of the relations between the two countries for regional and global stability.Replying to a question in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, MoS, External Affairs, VK Singh had stated “Government of India is also engaged with the Government of the People’s Republic of China through the diplomatic channels to maintain peace and tranquility… and is committed to finding an amicable resolution acceptable to concerned countries.”