India calls for 'early disengagement' in remaining areas of eastern Ladakh

New Delhi, April 3: India hoped that China will work with it to ensure disengagement of troops in remaining areas of eastern Ladakh at the earliest. De-escalation of tension alone will lead to restoration of peace and tranquility in border areas and provide conditions for the progress of bilateral ties, it further said.

 

At a media briefing, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said the two sides continue to remain in touch through military and diplomatic channels on the issue. "After the disengagement in Pangong Lake area, we have had the tenth round of Senior Commanders meeting, a telecon between the External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) and his Chinese counterpart and a WMCC interaction on March 12."

 

 

 

He emphasized that there is "a consensus that the two sides should now quickly resolve the remaining issues along the LAC in eastern Ladakh" and that the "disengagement in Pangong Lake area was a significant step forward and it has provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in western sector".

 

He also referred to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s comments that a prolongation of the situation is in neither side’s interest. According to the MEA spokesperson, Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart that “a prolongation of the situation is in neither side’s interest. We therefore hope that the Chinese side will work with us to ensure that disengagement in the remaining areas is completed at the earliest," he said.

 

Further, he added, "This would allow both sides to consider de-escalation of forces in eastern Ladakh as that alone will lead to the restoration of peace and tranquillity and provide conditions for progress of our bilateral relationship".

 

 

China has suggested that the two countries should normalise relations in other areas while setting aside the standoff on the LAC, which began in May last year and resulted in the first fatalities in a border clash since 1975. Twenty Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops were killed in a clash at Galwan Valley last June.