Washington DC , July 8 ,2020: Australian Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds, Japanese Minister of Defense KONO Taro, and US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper convened a virtual trilateral defence ministerial meeting on Tuesday (local time) to re-affirm mutual cooperation amid coronavirus pandemic and promote vigorous trilateral defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
On recent China’s action in the South China Sea, the US Defence Department said, “The ministers reinforced strong opposition to the use of force or coercion to alter the status quo, and reaffirmed the importance of upholding freedom of navigation and overflight. They expressed serious concern about recent incidents, including the continued militarization of disputed features, dangerous or coercive use of coast guard vessels and “maritime militia,” and efforts to disrupt other countries’ resource exploitation activities.”
The Ministers emphasised the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and called for all countries in the region to take meaningful steps to ease tension and build trust.
“The ministers also called for any Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to be consistent with existing international law, in particular as reflected in UNCLOS; not to prejudice the interests of third parties or the rights of any State under international law; and to reinforce existing inclusive regional architecture,” the Department said.
They also expressed their concern over China’s imposition of national security law in Hong Kong as it undermined the city’s special status.
On North Korea’s ballistic missile launches, the Department said, “The ministers shared their strong concern that North Korea’s series of ballistic missile launches pose a serious threat to international security and condemned the repeated violations of multiple United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs). They expressed concern about North Korea’s announcement that it no longer considered itself bound by its moratorium on nuclear tests and launches of intercontinental ballistic missiles.”
The ministers have again urged North Korea to cease actions that increase tensions and undermine regional stability, to comply with its international obligations, and take clear steps to achieve the complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of its weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles programs of all ranges in accordance with UNSCRs.
“To this end, they commended ongoing diplomatic efforts to engage North Korea, and called on North Korea to return to the negotiating table and make a sustained commitment to dialogue,” the US Defence Department added.
Jun 23, 2020 12:53 IST
New Delhi, June 23,2020: In the Corps Commander level talks between India and China at Moldo, both sides have reached a mutual consensus to disengage in the Eastern Ladakh sector, Indian Army said on Tuesday.
According to sources, the modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both sides.
“The Corps Commander level talks between India and China on 22 June 2020 were held at Moldo in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere. There was a mutual consensus to disengage. Modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both sides,” the Army said.
The meeting had started at around 11:30 AM yesterday at Moldo on the Chinese side of Line of Actual Control (LAC) opposite Chushul to defuse the tensions in the Eastern Ladakh sector due to Chinese military build-up, sources had said.
This was the second meeting between the two corps commanders. They had met on June 6 and had agreed to disengage at multiple locations. India had asked the Chinese side to return to pre-May 4 military positions along the LAC.
The Chinese side had not given any response to the specific Indian proposal and not even shown intent on the ground to withdraw troops from rear positions where they have amassed over 10,000 troops.
India and China have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions since last month. However, last week as many as 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in the Galwan Valley after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation in eastern Ladakh.
The Indian intercepts have revealed that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the violent clash.
New Delhi, Apr 7: Joining issue with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi for his remarks that India could ‘attack’ its western neighbour in April, New Delhi on Sunday said the government here “reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively” to any cross border terrorist attack.
In response to queries on a statement made by Mr Qureshi, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar said “India rejects the irresponsible and preposterous statement by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan with
a clear objective of whipping up war hysteria in the region”.
“This public gimmick appears to be a call to Pakistan-based terrorists to undertake a terror attack in India. It has been made clear to Pakistan that it cannot absolve itself of responsibility of a cross border terrorist attack in India,” he said.
Mr Kumar maintained – “No attempt at creating an alibi for its complicity in such attacks will succeed”.
The MEA spokesman asserted that – “Pakistan needs to take credible and irreversible steps against terrorism operating from all territories under its control rather than making hysterical statements to obfuscate the core issue that bedevils our region: cross- border terrorism”.
He said, Islamabad would be “advised” to use established diplomatic and DGMO channels to share any actionable and credible intelligence it has about imminent terror attacks.
“India reserves the right to respond firmly and decisively to any cross border terrorist attack,” he asserted.
The remarks from the MEA spokesman comes hours after Pakistan Foreign Minister Mr Qureshi alleged that India “is hatching a new plot” and may resort to military aggression against the country between April 16 and 20, according to media reports in Pakistan.
“An incident similar to Pulwama could recur in the occupied Kashmir Valley,” Ary News quoted him as claiming in reference to Pulwama terror attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.
“Pakistan has reliable intelligence inputs that India is hatching a new plot and may resort to military aggression against Pakistan between April 16-20,” Mr Qureshi has said.