India on Thursday distanced itself from Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong’s claims yesterday that Indian and People’s Liberation Army troops have ‘disengaged’ in the Galwan Valley and Pangong Lake areas.
“We have been reiterating our position regarding disengagement and de-escalation. I don’t have particular update right now. We’ll share with you the information regarding the next round of Commander-level talks which both leaders – External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi – agreed to hold at an early date,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
Weidong on Wednesday claimed that both countries had withdrawn troops from the friction points along the Line of Actual Control near Ladakh after over a year of a bitter standoff.
Commenting on the recently-conducted elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the MEA spokesperson said that “such exercises cannot hide the illegal occupation by Pakistan in Indian territories”.
“The so-called elections in Indian territory, under illegal occupation of Pakistan, are nothing but an attempt by Pakistan to camouflage its illegal occupation and the material changes undertaken by it in these territories. India has lodged a strong protest with Pakistani authorities on this cosmetic exercise protested and rejected by the local people. Such exercise cannot hide the illegal occupation by Pakistan, or the grave human rights violations, exploitation and denial of freedom to people in occupied territories. Pakistan has no locus standi on these Indian territories. We call upon Pakistan to vacate all Indian areas under its illegal occupation,” Bagchi said in a strongly-worded statement.
Responding to Pakistani and Chinese Foreign Ministers making references to Jammu and Kashmir in their joint statement, the MEA spokesperson said that India categorically rejects any such reference, and that J&K and Ladakh “have been and will remain integral and inalienable parts of India”.
“The joint press release has also made a reference to the so-called China Pakistan Economic Corridor. We have consistently conveyed to China and Pakistan that the so-called CPEC is in India’s territory that has been illegally occupied by Pakistan and that we resolutely oppose. Any attempts by other countries to change the status quo in areas illegally occupied by Pakistan as also to Pakistan bringing up any material change in Indian territories under its illegal occupation…we call upon parties concerned to cease such action,” Bagchi said.
India also wishes to see a stable and democratic Afghanistan which is at peace with its neighbours, the External Affairs Ministry said in New Delhi.
“We are closely monitoring the developments in Afghanistan. The EAM spoke on our perspective about situation in Afghanistan yesterday. India and the world wish to see an independent, sovereign, democratic and stable Afghanistan which is at peace with itself and its neighbours,” the MEA spokesperson said.
