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Neighbor Calling Deputy prime minister and foreign minister KP Oli is in New Delhi to apprise India about Nepal situation
By SANJAYA DHAKAL
Even as the crucial peace talks is underway in Kathmandu , a senior minister of the current cabinet has left for New Delhi .
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli left for a weeklong visit to India on November 5 – the day when the crucial fifth round of peace negotiations begun in the positive note with leaders claiming they had reached a breakthrough on the management of Maoist arms.
On November 6, Oli met with Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. During the meeting, Indian PM assured Oli about his government’s commitment to continue its support in the consolidation of democracy and peace in Nepal . He also assured India ’s help in economic development of the country.
On the same day, Oli also held meeting with the newly appointed Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee.
The visit by Oli has assumed significance as it coincides with intensive efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement with the Maoists on all political issues including that of arms management. Though Oli has said that he will not discuss about the specific modality of arms management, he said he will indeed inform Indian leaders about the agreement on this issue.
Last week, Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee had told journalists that his government feels the issue of arms management is fundamental. He called for "complete and credible" management of arms in a way as to ensure that people of Nepal do not have to live under the shadow of gun anymore. He is currently in New Delhi along with Nepali DPM Oli.
Earlier, talking to journalists prior to his departure, Oli had clarified that he would apprise Indian leaders about the progress in the peace talks here and also about the mechanics of arms management.
In an interesting response, Oli told media that he will not hold any discussion "regarding the proposed Extradition Treaty or any other bilateral pacts" during his forthcoming visit to India . Terming his visit as "goodwill visit", Oli said he will rather focus on getting moral support from India towards the ongoing "peace process and socio-economic transformation of Nepal ."
His response was interesting because during the first week of October, Home Minister Krishna Sitaula was planning to go to New Delhi to sign the bilateral Extradition Treaty and Mutual Legal Assistance agreement. However, his visit was cancelled after the Maoists raised objection about the treaty. Following that incident, Indian officials were miffed that the treaty could not be signed then. Recently, India ’s Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Prakash Jaiswal was quoted by media as saying that India wants to have a changed extradition treaty with Nepal .
On the eve of his departure to New Delhi , a delegation of Bhutanese refugee leaders had also called on Oli requesting him to involve India in the process of resolution of the impasse. However, Oli said Nepal government continues to hold its previous position. Immediately after returning from New Delhi, Oli plans to fly to Thimpu to hold what is being touted as the ‘final meeting’ with his Bhutanese counterparts to repatriate the refugees. If this round of negotiation also fails, Nepal could start considering the offers made by western countries including the US about the resettlement of Bhutanese refugees to third countries.
During the current India visit, Oli is also expected to request India 's support in areas of trade. "We have big trade imbalance with India . I will talk with Indian leaders for favorable practice to help Nepal in this area," Oli had said. Oli will return to Kathmandu on November 11. Oli is also scheduled to visit Kolkata in West Bengal and Trivendrum in Kerala state during the tour.
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