Another India-China flag meeting likely, no date finalised yet

Another flag meeting between India and China may soon be held close to the spot where the two neighbours are in a stand-off confrontation in Sikkim, informed sources said on Thursday, adding that a date had not been finalised as yet.

The last meeting between senior officials of the Indian Army and People's Liberation Army at Nathu La -- one of the meeting points between the two armed forces along the border -- last Friday remained inconclusive.

However, after a skirmish in Ladakh on Tuesday, a flag meeting held in Chusul in Jammu and Kashmir went off well, the sources said adding that both sides made attempt to re-establish peace by leaving the incident behind.

The skirmish in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir was one of its kind where troops resorted to stone-pelting, leaving many hurt.

The sources said the Ladakh incident was taken seriously by both sides, and expressed the hope of finding a resolution to the stand-off in Doklam, near the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan, as well.

At the same time, another informed source said soldiers deployed on the border with China have been asked to stay alert, while not ruling out possibilities of more skirmishes.

A stand-off is continuing between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam since June 16, after a construction party from China's PLA entered the area belonging to Bhutan and attempted to construct a road there.

--IANS

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