The Indian and Pakistani armies vowed to maintain the sanctity of the Line of Control (LoC) as well as the ceasefire agreement at the meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of both countries on Tuesday — the first since the 1999 Kargil war.
Coming at the end of a year that saw an unprecedented number of cross-border violations since the 2003 ceasefire agreement came into place, the meeting between the two top officers is being seen as a sign that peace may return to the LoC.
At the end of the meeting, which was held on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border, a joint statement was released in which both nations emphasised their "commitment to maintain the sanctity and ceasefire on the Line of Control" and agreed to "re-energise existing mechanisms".
While it is learnt that the Indian side strongly raised the issue of at least two cross-border raids this year that resulted in the death of seven Indian soldiers and also conveyed that it does not expect a repeat of 2013 that saw over 195 ceasefire violations on the LoC, no new measure was decided at the DGMOs' meet.
"Consensus was developed to make Hotline Contact between the two DGMOs more effective and result-oriented. It was also decided to inform each other if any innocent civilian inadvertently crosses Line of Control, in order to ensure his or her early return," the joint statement said. "Both sides reiterated resolve and commitment to continue efforts for ensuring ceasefire, peace and tranquility on the Line of Control."
Indian DGMO Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia told reporters at Attari that the meeting was "cordial, cordial and fruitful" where both sides were looking forward to "sustaining the ceasefire". Bhatia said "there were some issues we are moving forward on". While Lt Gen Bhatia led the Indian side, Maj Gen Aamer Riaz represented the Pakistani side.
The one takeaway of the meeting was that a decision was taken to conduct two flag meetings between the Brigade Commanders on the LoC to "take forward" the points discussed at the DGMOs' meet. The meetings are likely to take place in the coming weeks in the Uri and Poonch sectors where the Brigade Commanders will discuss local issues at length. The Poonch area in particular has seen repeated ceasefire violations as well as a brutal cross-border raid by Pakistani soldiers.
The meeting of the two DGMOs was aimed at reducing tension on the border and had been agreed upon in September when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his counterpart Nawaz Sharif at the UN in New York.
Coming at the end of a year that saw an unprecedented number of cross-border violations since the 2003 ceasefire agreement came into place, the meeting between the two top officers is being seen as a sign that peace may return to the LoC.
At the end of the meeting, which was held on the Pakistani side of the Wagah border, a joint statement was released in which both nations emphasised their "commitment to maintain the sanctity and ceasefire on the Line of Control" and agreed to "re-energise existing mechanisms".
While it is learnt that the Indian side strongly raised the issue of at least two cross-border raids this year that resulted in the death of seven Indian soldiers and also conveyed that it does not expect a repeat of 2013 that saw over 195 ceasefire violations on the LoC, no new measure was decided at the DGMOs' meet.
"Consensus was developed to make Hotline Contact between the two DGMOs more effective and result-oriented. It was also decided to inform each other if any innocent civilian inadvertently crosses Line of Control, in order to ensure his or her early return," the joint statement said. "Both sides reiterated resolve and commitment to continue efforts for ensuring ceasefire, peace and tranquility on the Line of Control."
Indian DGMO Lt Gen Vinod Bhatia told reporters at Attari that the meeting was "cordial, cordial and fruitful" where both sides were looking forward to "sustaining the ceasefire". Bhatia said "there were some issues we are moving forward on". While Lt Gen Bhatia led the Indian side, Maj Gen Aamer Riaz represented the Pakistani side.
The one takeaway of the meeting was that a decision was taken to conduct two flag meetings between the Brigade Commanders on the LoC to "take forward" the points discussed at the DGMOs' meet. The meetings are likely to take place in the coming weeks in the Uri and Poonch sectors where the Brigade Commanders will discuss local issues at length. The Poonch area in particular has seen repeated ceasefire violations as well as a brutal cross-border raid by Pakistani soldiers.
The meeting of the two DGMOs was aimed at reducing tension on the border and had been agreed upon in September when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met his counterpart Nawaz Sharif at the UN in New York.
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