Subramanian Swamy wary of India-China resolution chatter; defines 'real PLA withdrawal'

Multiple news agencies on Wednesday quoting their sources reported that the ongoing India-China border conflict may be resolved soon as the armies of the two countries have agreed for disengagement from parts of the Eastern Ladakh sector under which they would be moving back to their respective positions before April-May timeframe earlier this year.

The broad contours of the proposal include removal of armoured personnel carriers within one day of inking an agreement, withdrawal of troops from specific areas on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh and carrying out verification of the disengagement process by both the sides, they said.

'PLA is not agreeable'

Reacting to the reports, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subramanian Swamy on Thursday said that the Chinese PLA offer to "mutually" withdraw from Pangong lake will have "disastrous consequences" since Indian army had occupied a plateau top after PLA had occupied the plains below. Dr Swamy insisted that the real withdrawal will be if PLA agrees to leave Depsong
"as is where is."

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India, China on verge of reaching agreement 

The specific proposals for the disengagement and restoration of the status quo ante as existed in April were finalised during the eighth round of high-level military talks between the Indian and Chinese armies in Chushul on November 6 on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control(LAC).

PTI quoting authoritative sources said both the Indian Army and the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) are looking at sealing the pact in the next round of Corps Commander-level talks as the proposals were agreed to by the two sides. The ninth round of military talks are likely to take place in the next few days. The standoff between the two sides erupted in early May.

Indian troops occupied a number of strategic heights in the Mukhpari, Rezang La and Magar hill areas around the southern bank of the Pangong lake after the PLA soldiers attempted to intimidate them in the area on the intervening night of August 29 and 30. When asked about the six-month-long military standoff, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava at a media briefing last week said that both sides continue to maintain close communication at the military and diplomatic levels to achieve complete disengagement along the LAC. 

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