This Article is From May 11, 2013

Ladakh incursion should not come in the way of improving ties: Salman Khurshid after China visit

Ladakh incursion should not come in the way of improving ties: Salman Khurshid after China visit
New Delhi: Against the backdrop of the recent Chinese incursion in Ladakh, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today said the two countries are working on a new Border Defence Cooperation Agreement.

Mr Khurshid, just back from his visit to Beijing, said the two sides had underlined that the incidents like the recent incursion in Daulat Beg Oldi should not happen and agreed that this issue should not come in way of improving ties.

He told reporters that special representatives of India and China will meet in a couple of months to discuss in detail the issues related to boundary.

"China has proposed sometime back a proposal for Border Defence Cooperation Agreement...We have also given our suggestions," he said. (Highlights of Salman Khurshid's press conference)

On the recent incursion by Chinese troops 19 km into Indian territory, he said, "we did not do any post-mortem or aportion blame."

On the contentious issues which could be raised during the visit of Chinese premier Li Keqiang, he said, "there are no prickly issues, issues of major differences which can be seen as obstacles."

He said MoUs would be signed during the Chinese premier's visit and some during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's subsequent visit to Beijing later this year.

"This is for the first time since 1954 that a two way visit by the two Prime Ministers of the two countries in the same year," Mr Khurshid said.

.