Pangong Tso, Gogra to feature in 5th military commander level talks

New Delhi, July 31: The stand off at Pangong Tso and Patrolling Point 17A at Gogra will be the focus of the fifth military commander level talks between India and China.

The next round of talks is expected in a couple of days, sources have told OneIndia while adding that the ground work is being laid for the same. The talks were initially planned over the weekend, but an official word on the same is still awaited.

Sources said that on the disengagement, there has not been positive movement on the ground for at least 15 days now.

On China's claim that disengagement had taken place, sources said that the statement is incorrect.

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin had made the claim at a briefing in Beijing when he was asked whether the border troops from India and China have completed the disengagement from Galwan, Gogra and Hot Spring areas in eastern Ladakh. The reference to Pangong Tso, a major friction point, was conspicuously absent in the question asked by a reporter from China's official media.

During the briefing, the spokesman noted that China and India have recently conducted "intensive communication through military and diplomatic channels."

"Now the frontline border troops have completed disengagement in most locations and the situation on the ground is easing," Wang said.

At the briefing, Wang said, "We have held four rounds of commander level talks and three meetings of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC)."

"Now we are preparing for the fifth round of commander level talks to study the settlement of the remaining issue. We hope India will work with China to implement our consensus and uphold peace and stability along our border areas," he added.