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Chinese army chief calls for early demarcation of LAC

It is important for both India and China to carry out ''gradual and early'' demarcation of the Line of Actual Control, visiting chief of staff of the People's Liberation Army, General Fu Quanyou said today.

Talking to reporters informally after an hour-long meeting with an Indian delegation headed by army chief General V P Malik, General Fu said it should not be said that the demarcation of the LAC has been delayed.

It is important for both sides to carry out the ''gradual and early'' demarcation of the boundary, General Fu, who is leading an eight-member delegation, observed.

The Chinese general was replying to a question on the 1996 peace and tranquillity agreement and the demarcation of the LAC.

General Malik was assisted by the vice-chief of army staff, deputy chief of army staff, director-general of military operations and director-general of military intelligence.

General Malik, while inaugurating the army commander's conference in New Delhi last week, had observed that the peace and tranquillity agreement with China has certainly improved the ''atmospherics'' but the progress on substantive issues like LAC demarcation had been slow.

The visiting Chinese military delegation is scheduled to meet naval chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat, air chief Air Chief Marshal S K Sareen and Defence Minister George Fernandes.

Earlier, on his arrival at South Block, General Fu was given a guard of honour and was received by the GOC, Delhi area, Major General S K Awasthi.

General Fu said the two sides had also agreed to make ''special efforts'' to safeguard regional stability.

The Chinese general, who heads all the three services of the Chinese armed forces and exercises authority over strategic missile forces, said: ''We had very fruitful talks with the Indian side.''

General Fu, who is accompanied by a high-powered tri-services delegation, said: ''We talked mainly about mutual co-operation and on further enhancing bilateral relations.''

This, he said, was the main purpose of his current visit.

Other members of the Chinese delegation include commander of the Chengdu military region Lt General Liaoxilong, deputy commander, PLA, Air Force, Lt General Wu Guangyu who holds the number two position, chief of staff of the PLA navy, Rear Admiral Yao Xinguan, and director-general, foreign affairs office in the Chinese ministry of defence, Major General Lue Bin.

During its six-day stay in India, the Chinese military delegation will visit besides Delhi, Agra, Bombay and Jodhpur where it will respectively visit an air force station, a naval establishment and a desert corps as also interact with senior service officers.

The visit of the Chinese military delegation has been officially described as a goodwill visit aimed at establishing a personal rapport at the political and military level.

UNI

EARLIER REPORTS:
US acknowledges Indian concerns over China-Pak nexus
Defence circles doubt US's sincerity in preventing Chinese missile transfer
India will convey concern over China-Pak missile nexus to PLA chief

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