The United States on Tuesday welcomed the withdrawal of Indian and Chinese troops from the disputed areas in eastern Ladakh, but clarified that it was not involved in resolving the border conflict between India and China, despite communicating with New Delhi about the country. matter.
“We are closely following what is happening and we understand that both countries have taken the first steps to withdraw troops from the areas where the Line of Actual Control collides. We welcome any reduction in tensions along the border. We discussed with our Indian partners and took action. Briefly about it, but we had no role in this decision,” he said at a forum in Washington DC.
The US response comes after India announced last week that it had reached an agreement with China on patrols along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a major breakthrough in ending a four-year military standoff that began after Indian and Chinese militaries joined forces. in dealing with violence in Galwan Valley in May 2020.
China also confirmed the surveillance agreement, with Beijing saying the decision was made on “relevant issues” and that it would work with New Delhi to implement the decisions.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that an agreement has been reached on surveillance and non-interference in Depsang and Demchok. He said patrolling along the LAC will begin after the expulsion, restoring the system as it was in April 2020, before the border was opened.
However, Jaishankar later said that the successful agreement with China to navigate along the LAC does not mean that the issues between the two countries have been resolved.
On October 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks after five years on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, where they accepted a border agreement.
India and China have begun the withdrawal of troops from the two disputed areas of Demchok and Depsang Plains and the process is nearing completion, defense sources told India Today TV on Tuesday.
Both the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) are currently ensuring the withdrawal of personnel and dispersal of military infrastructure in critical areas along the LAC.
However, negotiations regarding the four buffer zones, including the Galwan area, are yet to begin. Sources said that discussions at the Corps Commander level will decide on the resumption of patrolling in protected areas, which will take place after the successful start of patrolling in Demchok and Depsang.
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