India has confirmed that an "incident" had taken place between the Indian and Chinese troops near Pangong Lake in Ladakh and also reiterated that it will continue to engage with Beijing to find a mutually acceptable solution to the Doklam standoff.
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"Today, I can confirm that there was an incident at Pangong Tso on August 15," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said when questioned by reporters about the reported scuffle that involved stone-throwing and fisticuffs.
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"Such incidents do not contribute to peace and tranquillity at the border and are not in the interest of either side," he added.
The MEA spokesperson said two meetings of the border patrol management teams had already taken place in Ladakh and in Nathu La in the past couple of weeks.
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Asked about the current status of the standoff, he said, "It is a sensitive issue... We will continue to engage with China to find mutually acceptable solution. Peace and tranquility in border areas are important pre-requisites for smooth development of bilateral relations."
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However, he quipped, "I am not an astrologer, so cannot predict", when asked by when the Doklam standoff will be resolved.
Questioned about a mocking racist video put out by Chinese official agency, Xinhua, the MEA spokesperson said, "I will not dignify it with a comment."
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Questioned about Bhutan's pushback to China on territorial claims, MEA spokesperson said the June 29 statement was clear. Bhutanese government clarified that Doklam belonged to them and not China.
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