INDIA and China failed to make any headway in resolving the 17-month standoff in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh with the Indian Army on Monday saying the “constructive suggestions” made by it at the latest round of military talks were neither agreeable to the Chinese side nor Beijing could provide any “forward-looking” proposals. In a strong statement after the 13th round of talks on Sunday that ended in a stalemate, the Army also said the situation along the Line of Actual Control(LAC) had been caused by “unilateral attempts” of the Chinese side to alter the status quo and it is necessary that China takes appropriate steps to restore peace in the region. “During the meeting, the Indian side therefore made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals.

 

The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas,” the Army said in a statement on the talks that lasted eight-and-a-half hours. As the two sides accused each other for the deadlock, it is learnt that the Indian side mentioned about the stalled disengagement at Patrolling Point 15 (PP-15) as well as issues in Depsang Plains and Demchok. In its statement released in Beijing, the Chinese PLA's Western Theatre Command claimed that India insisted on “unreasonable and unrealistic” demands, adding difficulties to the negotiations. It also said that China has made “tremendous efforts to ease and cool down the border situation and fully demonstrated its sincerity.” People familiar with the talks said the Chinese delegation came to the meeting with a pre-determined approach and was not ready to move forward from its position.

 

The talks were held at the Chushul-Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The talks took place against the backdrop of a brief face-off between the two sides near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh nearly two weeks ago and there were indications of some “physical engagement” among the troops. Close to 100 Chinese soldiers had also transgressed the LAC in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand on August 30.Tthe Indian Army said the Indian side pointed out that the situation along the LAC had been caused by “unilateral attempts” by the Chinese side to alter the status quo and in violation of the bilateral agreements. “The Indian side pointed out that the situation along the LAC had been caused by unilateral attempts of Chinese side to alter the status quo and in violation of the bilateral agreements,” the Army said. “It was therefore necessary that the Chinese side take appropriate steps in the remaining areas so as to restore peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western sector,” it added.