India-China Trying To Develop Mechanism To Prevent Face-offs

New Delhi, July 27, IRNA - India and China are trying to develop effective mechanisms to prevent the "embarrassing" face-offs between their troops along the "disputed" points of the Line of Actual Control, Defense Minister A K Antony said here Friday. Terming the 21-day stand-off between the two sides in Depsang valley in Daulat Beg Oldi area as an unusual incident, the Defense Minister said the two countries will meet soon in Beijing to discuss issues and try to find a solution for such unpleasant incidents. Till the final settlement of the border issue, we are trying to find out more effective mechanisms to prevent occasional incidents. There are many points in the LAC that are disputed and they are patrolled by both sides. So, sometimes it leads to some face-off, he told reporters on the 14th anniversary of Kargil Victory Day, pti reported. Antony said, There are disputed points where both sides are going there which sometimes causes some embarrassing situations. He said after the Depsang incident in April, India and China had free and frank talks and we are trying to have more border personnel meeting places and have more effective mechanisms to prevent such unpleasant incidents. On the one side, both sides are trying to find a long term solution to the long pending border dispute. Till that time, our aim is to maintain peace and tranquility at the border, Antony said. In the recent past, there have been several incidents of incursions in Ladakh sector where Chinese troops have entered well within Indian side and stayed there for long hours before returning to their areas. In the last two weeks, there have been at least five incursions in the area and around 150 incidents in the last seven months./end