New Delhi, October 11, 2021 (PPI-OT):The latest round of talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders over the standoff in Ladakh broke down, the Indian Army confirmed, adding that that the Chinese side was not “agreeable” and “could not provide any forward-looking proposals”.
According to Kashmir Media Service, an army statement issued to the media in New Delhi said, “During the meeting, the Indian side made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals. The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas.”
“The two sides have agreed to maintain communications and also to maintain stability on the ground. It is our expectation that the Chinese side will take into account the overall perspective of bilateral relations and will work towards early resolution of the remaining issues while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols,” it added.
China, on the other hand, said, “India insists on unreasonable and unrealistic demands, adding difficulties to the negotiations.” The People’s Liberation Army spokesperson said that China is firm in its resolve to safeguard national sovereignty. He hoped that the Indian side should avoid misjudging the situation and cherish the hard-won situation in the China-India border areas.
The spokesperson added, “The Indian side should abide by the relevant agreements and consensus reached between the two countries and two militaries, show sincerity and take concrete actions to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the border areas with China”.
India had pressed for an early disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh at the 13th round of military talks with China that lasted for around eight-and-half hours on Sunday.
A major focus of the Corps Commander-level talks on the Chinese side of the Chushul-Moldo border point in eastern Ladakh was to complete the stalled disengagement at Hot Springs area known as Patrolling Point 15 (PP-15), Indian media reported.
The talks, which started at 10:30 am and ended at 7 pm, took place over two months after the last round of negotiations that resulted in the disengagement of troops from Gogra (Patrol Point-17A).
The resolution in Gogra had marked India and China backing down in four of the six flashpoints – the others being Galwan and North and South banks of the Pangong Lake. The standoffs in Depsang and Hot Springs continue.
India has been insisting that the resolution of outstanding issues in all friction points including in Depsang is essential for an overall improvement in ties between the two countries.
The latest talks took place in the backdrop of two recent incidents involving penetration, as media reports suggest, by the Chinese troops in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand and the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh.
In Uttarakhand, nearly 100 soldiers of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) crossed the LAC in the Barahoti sector on August 30 and returned from the area after spending a few hours. Indian troops could watch the development as a silent spectator.
For more information, contact:
Kashmir Media Service
Phone: +92-51-4435548, +92-51-4435549
Fax: +92-51-4861736
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.kmsnews.org