India, China talk disengagement at Pangong Lake, Depsang

New Delhi, July 14: India and China military delegates hold talks on Tuesday about disengagement and de-escalation of troops and materials at the borders in eastern Ladakh. Both the countries are locked in ten week long stand-off at multiple points, hitherto unprecedented along the border. The main agenda of Indian delegates at the meet is about Chinese People's Liberation Army removing tanks, artillery and additional forces at Pangong Lake and Depsang areas in eastern Ladakh. The meeting between 14 Corps commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military District chief Major General Liu Lin is happening on the lines of the one held at the Chushul-Moldo border personnel meeting (BPM) point in eastern Ladakh on June 6. This is the fourth meeting between the delegates. The third such meeting continued for almost 12 hours wherein India had put a strong message to that Chinese People's Liberation Army troops have not aided by the disengagement consensus. Both the countries are engaged in military and diplomatic deliberation to de-escalate the tense situation at the border areas. On Friday, diplomatic meeting took place between both the countries delegates. The meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on July 10. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation. The two sides recalled the agreement reached between the two foreign ministers on June 17 as well as the agreement between two Special Representatives during their telephonic conversation on July 5, and reaffirmed that both sides will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols. They also agreed that for the overall development of bilateral relations it was necessary to maintain enduring peace and tranquillity in the border areas. The two sides also agreed to maintain the ongoing communication both at the diplomatic and military level to ensure early resolution of the situation. A total 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops were killed on June 15 in their worst clash in four decades at another disputed border area - Galwan Valley. China has started to change the status quo at the border at various places moving inside the Indian territories. India has objected to it and is taking up the matter with China at all levels. (IANS)