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world news Diasabra 12 september 2020

India, China agree to disengage thousands of border troops

(AP) — The Indian and Chi- in the world.
nese foreign ministers agreed Both sides accuse the other of
that their troops should dis- provocative behavior includ-
engage from a tense border ing crossing into each oth-
standoff, maintain proper er’s territory, and both have
distance and ease tensions in vowed to protect their ter-
the Ladakh region where the ritorial integrity. Earlier this
two countries in June had week, Jaishankar described
their deadliest clash in de- the situation along their
cades. shared boundary, known as
the Line of Actual Control,
India’s S. Jaishankar and as “very serious” and said the
China’s Wang Yi met in the state of the border cannot be
Russian capital on Thursday separated from the state of
night and concurred that "the the bilateral relationship.
current situation in the bor- On Thursday, the two coun-
der areas is not in the interest tries agreed that as the situ-
of either side,” according to a ation eases, they should
joint statement issued Friday. expedite work to conclude
Since last week, the Asian gi- "new confidence-building
ants have accused each other measures to maintain and en-
of sending soldiers into rival hance peace and tranquility
territory and firing warning in the border areas."
shots for the first time in 45
years, threatening a full-scale In a separate statement, Wang
military conflict. The for- said “China-India relations status quo unilaterally. political channels. escalation process. The two
eign ministers did not set any have once again come to a Wang said the top prior- armies will work out a mu-
timeline for the disengage- crossroads." That statement The official said Jaishankar ity now is to not break tually acceptable methodol-
ment of tens of thousands of said Wang “outlined China's said the immediate task is to past agreements, includ- ogy for de-escalation,” Bhatia
troops who have been locked stern position on the situa- ensure a comprehensive dis- ing one not to open fire at said. He said “there is a po-
in a standoff since May, tion in the border areas, em- engagement of troops at all the border.“Also, we should litical will and direction now
but agreed that "both sides phasizing that the impera- flash points to prevent any withdraw the personnel and to resolve the crisis.”
shall abide by all the exist- tive is to immediately stop incidents, with details of how equipment completely from The two nations fought
ing agreements and protocol provocations such as firing that is to be done worked out the front line. In this way, a border war in 1962 that
on China-India boundary and other dangerous actions by military commanders. The we can implement the con- spilled into Ladakh and end-
affairs, maintain peace and that violate the commitments official was not authorized to sensus and restore peace and ed in an uneasy truce. Since
tranquility in the border ar- made by the two sides." speak publicly and spoke on stability along the border,” he then, troops have guarded
eas and avoid any action that “It is also important to move condition of anonymity. said. Russian Foreign Minis- the undefined border area,
could escalate matters.” back all personnel and equip- The two ministers met in ter Sergey Lavrov said he was occasionally brawling. They
ment that have trespassed. Moscow on the sidelines of very pleased that the Moscow have agreed not to attack each
The disputed 3,500-kilome- The frontier troops must a gathering of the foreign venue enabled the foreign other with firearms.
ter (2,175-mile) border sepa- quickly disengage so that the ministers of the Shanghai ministers of China and India
rates Chinese and Indian- situation may de-escalate," it Cooperation Organization. to have a substantive meeting Rival soldiers brawled in May
held territories from Ladakh quoted Wang as saying. The group comprises China, on deescalating their border and June with clubs, stones
in the west to India’s eastern India did not release a state- India, Pakistan, Russia, Ka- tensions. and their fists. A clash on a
state of Arunachal Pradesh, ment of its own, but an offi- zakhstan, Krgyzstan, Tajiki- high ridge on June 15 left 20
which China claims in its cial with the External Affairs stan and Uzbekistan. In India, Vinod Bhatia, a re- Indian soldiers dead. China
entirety. The current stand- Ministry said Jaishankar told On Friday, Wang held talks tired Indian army general, reported no casualties.
off is over portions of a pris- Wang that India expected full with Russia's foreign min- said resolving the ongoing After that clash, both sides
tine landscape that boasts the adherence to all agreements ister in Moscow and later impasse will be a long pro- disengaged from the site in
world’s highest landing strip on management of border told reporters that India had cess. “Disengagement is the Galwan valley and at least
and a glacier that feeds one of areas and would not support expressed a wish to ease ten- first and the most important two other places, but the cri-
the largest irrigation systems any attempt to change the sions through diplomatic and step that will guide the de- sis continued.

Pandemic forces changes in International Swimming League

The International Swimming League second season as a result of the coro- cluding new additions Tokyo and To- Gregorio Paltrinieri of Italy, Ippei
is making some changes ahead of its navirus pandemic. The 10 teams, in- ronto, will train and compete in Bu- Watanabe of Japan, Anton Chupkov
dapest, Hungary, from Oct. 16-Nov. of Russia, and Laszlo Cseh of Hun-
22. The finals, likely to be in Tokyo, gary.
will be held in late December. The expansion Toronto Titans’ roster
The single-site training and competi- includes Canadians Kylie Masse and
tion schedule is a concession to CO- Kelsey Wog. The new Tokyo Frog
VID-19. Last year, the league held its Kings, fronted by retired Olympic
meets in the U.S. and Europe. It’s champion Kosuke Kitajima, include
not yet clear what coronavirus pro- Ryosuke Irie, Kosuke Hagino and
tocols will be in place. Next year’s Yui Ohashi. Paris-based Energy Stan-
rescheduled Tokyo Olympics and dard won last year’s inaugural season
continuing uncertainty about COV- championship in Las Vegas, where
ID-19 have affected the rosters. The two world records were set. Sarah
ISL competes in short-course meters, Sjostrom of Sweden won season
while the Olympics are swum in long MVP honors.
course. Among the big names miss- The ISL earlier announced its Soli-
ing from recently released rosters are darity Program that will pay a mini-
Americans Katie Ledecky, Nathan mum of $1,500 a month to over 300
Adrian, Kathleen Baker and Simone athletes from this month until June
Manuel, Penny Oleksiak of Canada, 2021.