Indian, Chinese teams hold final border meeting of 2006

Bumla, China, Oct 31 (UNI) It was bonhomie and camaraderie that prevailed among the Army personnel of India and China as their commanders held the fourth and final border meeting for this year here.

The otherwise isolated snow-clad 15,000 Ft borderpost, which seldom witnesses any other activity than border patrol, was turned into a venue for ''cementing'' relations between the two Armies and nations during the ongoing ''Year of Friendship''.

Even the minus 3 degrees C temperature could not dampen the 'warmth'' on display during the meeting, which took place ahead of Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to India in November.

The six-member Indian delegation at the meeting held yesterday morning, a regular feature of the confidence-building measures on the extensive but quiet Indo-Chinese border, was headed by Brig Sanjay Kulkarni, the CO of the 190 Mtn Bde, while Col Li Ming An was in charge of the six-member Chinese team.

The Chinese hosted the Indian delegates for the second scheduled BPM meeting for which they had erected tents at the outpost in their territory across the Line of Actual Control.

The other scheduled meeting, along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh's Twang region, is held on May 30 and is hosted by India.

Describing the meeting as ''successful'', Brig Kulkarni said maintaining peace and tranquility was the main agenda of the talks.

''We have succeeded in ensuring that no untoward incident occurs along the India-China Border and both the sides are happy about achieving that objective,'' said Brig Kulkarni, after the more than hour-long meeting.

The delegates also reviwed the situation since the last Border Personnel Meeting (BPM).

Asserting that the BPM ''is a very important mechanism'' of ensuring that no ''tension'' exists at the border, Brig Kulkarni said the meeting ensured that all decisions taken at the highest level by both the countries were implemented.

''The meetings ensure that friendship and camaraderie prevails at the ground level among the troops of both the nations,'' he added.

The two sides exchanged gifts, which were meant for each other's troops.

Two other BPM's are held on India's Independence Day -- August 15 -- and Chinese National Day -- October 1.

The BPM commenced with Col Li welcoming the Indian delegates at the 'Heap of Stones', a memorial of stones for friendship and solidarity of the two nations raised by the Armies of both the countries.

The interaction between the Indian and the Chinese Armies started initially with Flag Meetings and since May 1999 has transformed into BPMs.

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