India and China have starting withdrawing troops from a disputed area in the Himalayas to resolve a row that has strained ties between the nuclear-armed neighbors, Indian officials said. “Both sides reached an agreement after a meeting was held between border commanders. We will withdraw our troops and China will do the same,” a senior Indian army official told.
Foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid would travel to Beijing as scheduled this Thursday where he would “discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of concern. The governments of India and China have agreed to restore the status quo along Line of Actual Control (LAC)”.
Beijing’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying declined to give details when asked about the border situation at a regular briefing, saying only that the two sides “made positive progress” on the issue. “Following the standoff incident at the border area, China and India, bearing in mind the larger interests of bilateral relations, have taken a cooperative and constructive attitude,” she said.
