China hints bilateral at BRICS NSA meet

Beijing July 24 (IANS) China on Monday indicated that its top diplomat Yang Jiechi and Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval might hold a bilateral meet this week on the sidelines of the BRICS NSA Summit amid a dragging border stand-off.

The Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of Yang meeting Doval separately but there was a tradition of host countries arranging bilaterals between the head of the delegations at the summit.

Beijing has ruled out any talks over the border row until India withdraws troops from Doklam in the Sikkim sector.

"I don t have any relevant information now. As far as we know during the previous meetings the host arranges the head of the delegations to hold bilateral meetings in which they exchange views on bilateral relations BRICS cooperation and multilateral affairs " Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said.

The two-day meeting of BRICS NSAs will begin on July 27.

"The meeting is the main platform to discuss the contact political and security cooperation " Lu said.

"Currently the global geo-political factors are complex and intertwined and regional hotspot issues are escalating."

--IANS
gsh/mr