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Kathmandu,Monday March 06, 2000 Fagun 23, 2056.
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Government officials deny
any pact with India on TIA security
By a Post Reporter
KATHMANDU, March 5 - Foreign Ministry today denied
that Nepal has agreed with India to allow the presence of Indian security personnel at the
Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu as reported yesterday by the French
News Agency AFP.
Foreign Secretary Murari Raj Sharma told The
Kathmandu Post that the news was not true. “The news holds no truth. Nepal has not
entered into any agreement with India,” he said.
AFP had quoted Indian Minister of State for Civil
Aviation Chaman Lal Gupta as saying that “Nepal had admitted of security lapses at
its international airport and had agreed in principle to allow Indian security at the TIA”.
It had reported that Indian Airlines flights to
Nepal frozen after the hijacking in December last year could be resumed soon as India
finalises security arrangements at the Kathmandu airport. Regarding the resumption of
Indian Airlines flight Foreign Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said, “We were expecting
early resumption of IA flight because a month and a half ago we received assurance from
the Indian government that they will resume the flights soon.”
A very highly placed official at the Home Ministry
denied that there has been any kind of agreement between Nepal and India, not even in
principle. “Nepal’s security is strong,” he said. “We are trying to
further improve it. It is impossible to discuss our security arrangement with another
country.”
The source at the Home Ministry also denied that
Nepal has held talks with Indians regarding the issue. The AFP report had mentioned that
Indian civil aviation teams have visited Kathmandu ad held useful talks with their Nepali
counterparts. “We want Indian personnel to be stationed at that airport for
security checks. Some compromise is being agreed on that matter and talks are at a
advanced stage,” the report had stated.
Home Ministry source, however, categorically denied
the report and also ruled out the possibility of India posting their security at TIA. He
said that Indians have not been here to discuss the matter. “We are ready to follow
security arrangement as per the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) rule but
there is no way we can get into a bilateral agreement.”
Foreign Secretary Sharma said that they are trying
to establish the authenticity of the news report.
Meanwhile, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Chand) today
issued a press release demanding clarification from the government. Stating that
mobilising Indian security personnel at the TIA is unbearable for any self-respecting
Nepali, the release adds “this is an attack on Nepal’s sovereignty. This is not
something we can accept and such an issue should not even be brought into discussion.”
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