New Delhi(NVI): The seventh round of military-level talks held yesterday at Chushul between Senior Commanders of India and China were “positive” and “constructive”, and had enhanced understanding of each other’s positions at Line of Actual Control (LAC), a joint statement by the two armies said today.
“Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, not to turn differences into disputes, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas,” the Ministry of Defence said in the joint statement.
Military commanders of India and China yesterday met for the talks to discuss how to end the faceoff in the Ladakh sector of LAC, which has been triggered by Chinese aggression detected in May.
“The two sides had a sincere, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas,” the joint statement read.
Both the sides also agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution for disengagement as early as possible, the MoD said.
The earlier six rounds of military-level talks and agreements reached during those talks have failed to translate into disengagement at the border, where the situation continues to be tense and dangerously poised.
After the 6th round of talks held on September 21 at the Line of Actual Control, the two sides had reached an agreement which was reflected in a Joint Statement. The main features of the agreement were that the two sides will stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may complicate the situation.
The two sides had also agreed to take practical measures to properly solve problems on the ground, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area.
India has been insisting on it since the beginning but China is not implementing it. China has reportedly amassed over 50,000 troops and deployed fighter planes and missile systems at the LAC. India has also undertaken the deployment in equal measure.
This has led to a dangerous eyeball-to-eyeball situation at the LAC, for the first time since the 1962 War.
-ARK
