Nepal confident India, China will resolve differences through peaceful means

Kathmandu, June 20: Nepal on Saturday said it was confident that both its "friendly neighbours" India and China will resolve their border stand-off at the Line of Actual Control through peaceful means, keeping in mind the stability of the region and world peace.

The Himalayan nation, sandwiched between the two Asian giants, said it has always stood firmly for regional and world peace and expressed confidence that the differences between India and China will be resolved in the "spirit of good neighbourliness".

"Nepal maintains that disputes between the countries should be resolved through peaceful means," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

The statement comes days after the Nepal government completed the process of redrawing the country's political map through a Constitutional amendment, incorporating three strategically important Indian areas of Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura in a move that could severely jolt bilateral relations with New Delhi.

"In the context of recent developments in the Galwan Valley area between our friendly neighbours India and China, Nepal is confident that both the neighbouring countries will resolve, in the spirit of good neighbourliness, their mutual differences through peaceful means in favour of bilateral, regional and world peace and stability," it said.

Nepal's statement comes in the backdrop of clashes that have taken place between the forces of two countries in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

Twenty Indian Army personnel, including a Colonel, were killed in the clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley on Monday night, the biggest military confrontation in over five decades that has significantly escalated the already volatile border standoff between the two countries.