New Delhi, February 21: India and China on Sunday announced successful completion of disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area and termed it as a significant ‘step forward’.
“This provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in Western Sector,” a joint statement issued on Sunday evening said.
‘Western Sector’ is a reference to Eastern Ladakh in India-China talks.
The statement was issued after senior military commanders of the two sides conducted a marathon 16-hour meeting to discuss the issue of disengagement of troops from flashpoints of Gogra and Hot Springs, along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.
The meeting which commenced at 10 am on Saturday at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC ended at 2 am on Sunday.
The Indian statement said the two sides “had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues along the LAC in the Western Sector”.
The statement laid out what was expected over the next steps. “It was agreed to continue communication and dialogue, stabilise and control the situation on the ground, push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the statement said.
