India and China today decided to seek a fair and rational solution to their border dispute as they focused on the proposed Border Defence Cooperation Agreement to avert incursions like the one witnessed in Leh region last month.
This emerged at the end of the two-day 16th round of border talks between the Special Representatives of the two countries--National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Yang Jeichi--here today.
The talks, which were held against the backdrop of the recent incursion of Chinese troops near Ladakh, covered a host of issues bedevilling the relations between the two countries.
They were held in a productive, constructive and forward-looking atmosphere, a brief statement put out by Indian embassy here after the talks said.
Menon and Yang also discussed the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas including possible additional confidence building measures, ways and means of strengthening existing mechanisms for consultation and coordination on border affairs and methodology to enhance the efficiency of communications between the two sides, the statement said.
A Chinese statement said Border disputes between China and India will be resolved through peaceful negotiations, with agreement to seek a fair and rational solution acceptable to both sides.
"The two sides agree to give full play to the (existing) mechanisms on border-related issues and maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas before issues are resolved," a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.
During the "constructive and fruitful" talks, Yang and Menon also exchanged views on bilateral ties as well as international and regional issues of common concern in a candid and in-depth way.
