No talks on Ladakh row between Modi, Trump
   Date :30-May-2020

Modi Trump_1  H
 
 
NEW DELHI ;
 
Govt’s clarification came after Trump said that he had spoken to Modi and that Indian PM is not in a “good mood” over the “big conflict” between India and China
 
 
TOP Government sources on Friday virtually contradicted US President Donald Trump’s claim of a conversation between him and Prime Minister Narenda Modi on India’s ongoing military stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh. There has been no recent contact between Prime Minister Modi and President Trump, the sources said. The clarification came hours after Trump said in Washington that he had spoken to Modi and that the Indian Prime Minister is not in a “good mood” over the “big conflict” between India and China.
 
The sources said the last conversation between the two leaders was on April 4 on the issue of hydroxychloroquine. They said the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday made it clear that India was directly in touch with China through established mechanisms and diplomatic contacts to resolve the border row in eastern Ladakh. Troops of India and China were engaged in a major stand-off for over three weeks in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley, Demchok and Daulat Beg Oldie in eastern Ladakh, in what is turning out to be the biggest confrontation between the two countries after the Doka La episode in 2017.
 
The trigger for the face-off was China’s stiff opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake besides construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley. In the midst of the flare-ups between Indian and Chinese armies, Trump on Wednesday said he was “ready, willing and able to mediate” between the two countries. In its reaction, India on Thursday said it was engaged with China to peacefully resolve the border row, signalling that it was not open to accept the offer of mediation by the US President.
 
China rejects Trump’s offer to ‘mediate’
 
BEIJING,
 
May 29 (PTI)
 
CHINA on Friday rejected US President Donald Trump’s offer to “mediate” between India and China to end their border stand-off, saying the two countries are capable of properly resolving their differences through dialogue and did not require the help of a “third party.”