Honour bi-lateral protocols since 1993: What to expect from the Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet

New Delhi, Sep 08: With no signs of de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control, all eyes would be on the meeting of External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi.

The two leaders would meet on the sideline of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. (SCO) on September 10. It may be recalled that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had met his counterpart General Wei Fenghe on the same platform on September 5.

Both sides during the September 5 meeting only reiterated each others' formal positions.
During the meeting of the foreign ministers, Jaishankar would tell Yi that the bi-lateral agreements and protocols since 1993 must be honoured.

The past bi-lateral agreements must be honoured both in letter and spirit. This would also include keeping the PLA strength at a minimal along the Line of Actual Control.

Further, Jaishankar would state that status quo ante should be restored at the Finger 4, north bank of Pangong Tso and Gogra-Hot Springs.

Jaishankar would arrive in Moscow today with desk officers of the China division. Yi would reach tomorrow. There is a lot that is expected from this meeting as a forward movement towards disengagement will be discussed.