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| Kathmandu Wednesday March 20, 2002 Chaitra 07, 2058. |
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PM Deuba begins India visit today
Maoist issue, inundation problem high on agenda
Post Report
KATHMANDU, March 19:On the eve of his crucial
visit to India, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said that he would take up all the
contentious issues with his Indian counterpart, which include, inundation problem in
southern Nepal, Kalapani and border demarcation and, chiefly, the use of the Indian
territory by Nepali Maoists.
Speaking briefly with The Kathmandu Post late
Tuesday night, Deuba said, " I am very much confident that India will be positive and
supportive in resolving these issues, some of which are centuries old."
He added, "I will do my best to put forth
our demands of Nepal and her people with India in a very positive manner. We are expecting
a very positive response from India."
He is embarking on a six-day-long trip to India
Wednesday. About a 100 people, among them cabinet minister, government officials,
federation of chamber of commerce and industry (FNCCI) representatives and journalists,
will accompany the Prime Minister.
Earlier on the day, he informed the leaders of
various political parties at an all-party meeting that Nepal would seek for more
assistance from the southern neighbour to quell the Maoists insurgency.
During the meeting held at his office in Singha
Durbar, Deuba told the meeting of leaders that he would particularly ask India to stop all
kinds of assistance and support that the Maoists are getting from the Indian side of the
border.
Reading out the agendas to be taken up during
his meetings with his Indian counterpart and other high level officials, Deuba also said
that Nepal would request India to take necessary measures to prevent inundation of some
Nepali villages in Banke and Rupandehi districts.
Two separate India-built barrages have been
causing massive inundation problem in the districts, especially during rainy season. The
barrages are the Laxmanpur barrage, which was built by India in its territory south of
Banke, and the Rasial Khurda-Lautan embankment that India built south of Lumbini just last
year.
Deuba also said that Nepal would urge India to
expedite the process of reviewing the 1950 treaty of peace and friendship so as to update
it and meet the present challenges. Late Prime Minister Manamohan Adhikari, during his
visit to India, some seven years ago, had raised this issue (of reviewing the treaty). The
then Indian Prime Minister had also agreed to make some timely changes in the treaty.
Deuba also informed the meeting that Nepal would
also ask India to expedite the border demarcation process. A joint committee was formed to
carry out the demarcation work of more than 1800-km long Indo-Nepal border more than six
years ago, but little headway has been made.
Deuba added that Nepal would also push for the
early operation of broad gauge rail service, essential for the operation of Inland
Container Depot (Dry-port) in Birgunj which has so far remained dysfunctional, awaiting
rail service operation from India for over a year now.
"Nepal will also take up the issue of
exploring new potentialities for water resources and hydro power development push for the
speedy implementation of past agreements," said Deuba. In 1996 the two countries
signed the much-controversial Mahakali Treaty to develop, among others, Pancheswor
Multipurpose Project, for which a joint committee was formed to draw up the detailed
project report (DPR). But five years down the road the work is incomplete, let alone the
project implementation works.
Deuba also said that Nepal would seek positive
help of India for speedy resolution of the Bhutanese refugee problem.
India has been saying that the problem is a
"bilateral issue" between Nepal and Bhutan. But Nepal claims that since India is
the first country to receive the 100,000 refugees, the problem lingers on and the
repatriation of the refugees of Nepali origin a pipe-dream. Officials and activists say
the problem will not be resolved without Indian involvement. .
The opposition parties at the meeting asked PM
Deuba not to sign any new treaties or agreements but to emphasise on the implementation of
the past agreements. CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari suggested that Deuba shortlisted
some major issues rather than lightly presenting all the issues.
"Nepal must emphasis on preservation of
Nepalese industries, which are going to be affected in the aftermath of the after the
newly signed trade treaty comes into effect," said Adhikari. He also said that the
opposition leaders suggested Deuba to talk with the Indian counterpart for a time bound
programme for demarcation of the border.
Surya Bahadur Thapa of Rastriya Prajatantra
Party accused Prime Minister of going to India without doing adequate homework. He
stressed for strong presentation during the talks with the Indian counterparts. "
Prime Minister has assured that he will not make any agreements with India against our
national interest," said Thapa.
Minister for Water Resources Vijay Kumar
Gachhedar said that the issue of mutual co-operation to fight terrorism, a common threat
to both the countries, would be the focal issue of the visit. Minister of States for
Foreign Affairs, Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh told the reporters that Nepal would highlight
the security issues during the visit.
Meanwhile, in the parliament today the MPs
flayed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for insulting the parliament by not informing the
House about his India visit.
Most of the opposition members criticised him
for ignoring the ruling made by the Speaker yesterday that the PM inform the House about
his Indian tour. Deauba also received shares of criticism for his denial to attend the
parliamentary foreign relations and Human Rights Committee meetings today.
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