India - Agree On China 'Expeditious Disengagement' Of Border Troops.
India and China have agreed on an "expeditious disengagement" of troops at a disputed border area in the Himalayas, where their soldiers have been locked in standoff for more than two months, according to India's foreign ministry.
The decision comes in the run-up to a summit of the BRICS nations - a grouping that also includes Brazil, Russia and South Africa - in China early next month, which Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, is expected to attend.
"In recent weeks, India and China have maintained diplomatic communication in respect of the incident at Doklam," India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, referring to the area in the Himalayas close to the borders of China, India and Bhutan.
"On this basis, expeditious disengagement of border personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is ongoing."
China said Indian troops had withdrawn from the remote area in the eastern Himalayas. Hua Chunying, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, said Chinese troops would continue to patrol the Doklam region.
"China will continue to exercise sovereignty rights to protect territorial sovereignty in accordance with the rules of the historical boundary," she said.
"This dispute has been going on for 55 years but China is making it clear that it is not giving up its historical claims," he said. "It says it wants to work with India to maintain peace but it said India must respect China's historical borders."
Chinese and Indian troops have been confronting each other at the Doklam plateau near the borders of India, its ally Bhutan and China, in the most serious and prolonged standoff in decades along their disputed Himalayan border.
India says the dispute erupted after India objected to the Chinese building a road through the mountainous area.
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