An IAF chopper in Leh. (PTI/File)
Talks between Indian and Chinese diplomats Thursday could not achieve a breakthrough to resolve the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, and New Delhi said the two sides will “continue to sincerely work towards complete disengagement” of troops.
This was the fourth meeting via videoconference of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) since the standoff began early May.
The Chinese reluctance to step back from Pangong Tso, where its troops continue to occupy the ridgeline at Finger 4, and the Gogra-Hot Springs area has stalled the disengagement process despite diplomatic and military talks.
Unlike statements of the last three WMCC meetings, there was no reference to “progress” or “disengagement process” in the Indian statement Thursday. Nor was there any mention of “early and complete disengagement” which was there the last time.
Beijing, however, said it “positively evaluated the progress made in the disengagement of the front-line forces of the two countries” and agreed to “conscientiously implement the consensus” reached between the two sides.
Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson for…
