by NEW DELHI: India’s position on the India-Nepal border is well-known, consistent and unambiguous and has been communicated to Nepal, the government said on Saturday.
This was the government’s reaction to a series of statements made by political parties in Kathmandu, slamming India for allegedly undermining Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The response by the Indian embassy in Nepal followed a statement by the main ruling party, Nepali Congress, calling India’s widening of the road to the Lipulekh pass, near the tri-junction with China, objectionable and demanding that India withdraw its troops from the area. It had also said Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani – areas that remain under India’s administrative control in Uttarakhand – are Nepalese territories.
The embassy also reminded Nepal authorities of India’s view that the established inter-governmental mechanisms and channels were “most appropriate” for communication and dialogue. “Mutually agreed boundary issues that are outstanding can always be addressed in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations,” the embassy said.
The latest flare-up on the boundary issue is said to have been caused by PM Narendra Modi’s remark in Haldwani last month that India was working to further expand the road to Lipulekh pass.
Indian authorities said New Delhi has repeatedly conveyed to Nepal, since the latter issued a new political map to justify “artificial enlargement” of its claims, that it should refrain from making any unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India’s sovereignty.
This was the government’s reaction to a series of statements made by political parties in Kathmandu, slamming India for allegedly undermining Nepal’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The response by the Indian embassy in Nepal followed a statement by the main ruling party, Nepali Congress, calling India’s widening of the road to the Lipulekh pass, near the tri-junction with China, objectionable and demanding that India withdraw its troops from the area. It had also said Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani – areas that remain under India’s administrative control in Uttarakhand – are Nepalese territories.
The embassy also reminded Nepal authorities of India’s view that the established inter-governmental mechanisms and channels were “most appropriate” for communication and dialogue. “Mutually agreed boundary issues that are outstanding can always be addressed in the spirit of our close and friendly bilateral relations,” the embassy said.
The latest flare-up on the boundary issue is said to have been caused by PM Narendra Modi’s remark in Haldwani last month that India was working to further expand the road to Lipulekh pass.
Indian authorities said New Delhi has repeatedly conveyed to Nepal, since the latter issued a new political map to justify “artificial enlargement” of its claims, that it should refrain from making any unjustified cartographic assertion and respect India’s sovereignty.
