NE NEWS SERVICE
NEW DELHI, FEB 21
The disengagement of troops in the Pangong Lake area in Eastern Ladakh is a significant step forward for the resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in the western sector, India and China said in a joint statement on Sunday after their 10th round of military talks.
The two sides also agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, continue their communication and dialogue, stabilise and control the situation on the ground and push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.
The statement came after the nearly 16-hour-long Corps Commander-level talks at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control that began at around 10 am on Saturday and ended at 2 am on Sunday.
“The two sides positively appraised the smooth completion of disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area noting that it was a significant step forward that provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in the western sector,” the joint statement said.
“They had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues along the LAC in the western sector,” it added.
The talks took place two days after both the militaries concluded the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong Tso in the high-altitude region.
In the talks, India is learnt to have insisted on a faster disengagement process in areas like Hot Springs, Gogra, and Depsang to bring down tension in the region.
On Saturday evening, sources had said that bringing down the tension in the region was the broad priority of the talks.
India has all along been maintaining that disengagement at all the friction points was necessary to de-escalate the situation in the region.
The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry even as the two sides continued military and diplomatic talks.
