China-India border row: signs of thaw in fresh round of talks, analyst says
- Commanders from both sides met again and agree to further dialogue
- While not a breakthrough, it is cause for optimism, observer says
The two countries held another round of commander-level talks on Friday, the 15th such meeting since bloody clashes along the western section of their de facto border, the Line of Actual Control (LAC), in June 2020.
“The two sides carried forward their discussions from the previous round held on January 12, 2022 for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector,” China and India said in a joint statement on Saturday night.
“The two sides also agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground in the western sector in the interim. They agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to reach a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest.”
Although troops have completely disengaged at some hot spots since the talks began, the content of the joint statement was much the same as that released after the 14th round, suggesting little movement in other areas.