Priority to discuss ties in totality: PM
‘Visit will be confidence building mission’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 29: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that his forthcoming visit to India will be a ‘confidence building mission’. Talking to the press two days before his visit at his official residence in Baluwatar today, he said there has been a vacuum in the relations between the two countries in the last four years because of the absence of interaction at the highest level.

"My visit will fulfill that vacuum like situation," he said. He, however, said the lack of contacts was mainly because of the change of governments both in Nepal and India. He also said after he became Prime Minister there have been contacts at the ministerial and the secretary levels.

Prime Minister Koirala is leaving for a week-long official visit to India this Monday.

"The aim of my visit is to bring the relations, which have been off the track in the last four years, back on the line," Prime Minister Koirala said. I will put clearly the feelings and the aspirations of the Nepalese people, parliament and the government before Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Indian Prime Minister, Prime Minister Koirala told the media gathering. He emphasised that that would be his mission and also his responsibility.

The Prime Minister said it has been 50 years since the establishment of relations between Nepal and India the world has changed drastically in the last five decades, mainly because of development in science and technology. On the economic front too, the Prime Minister said, the world has gone for globalization, privatisation and economic liberalisation.

"In such a situation both Nepal and India should analyse, evaluate and review the relations between the two countries in totality. We should go into the next millennium with new thinking and new vision," Koirala said. Only if we can do so the foundation of relations between the two countries can be furthered and strengthened, he said.

But he asked everybody not to expect too much from the visit. He said that after he returns home, he would put everything before the parliament in a transparent way. But he said he was surprised that there was only little response in the parliament about his forthcoming visit. "I was expecting some questions in the parliament today regarding the visit, but I did not get any," he said.

When asked whether any specific issue will be discussed with the Indian leaders, the Prime Minister said that he was going to India with an open mind. "My priority is to look at our relations and review them in totality." So, there is no specific agenda, he added. But he said his was a goodwill visit and he expects to bring back goodwill of India. When asked whether he would invite his Indian counterpart, Vajpayee to pay a visit to Nepal, he said that it is a courtesy to reciprocate by inviting the Indian Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, on the forthcoming visit of Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori to Nepal, Prime Minister Koirala said Nepal and Japan have very good relations and that he asked the Japanese Prime Minister to pay a visit to Nepal during his visit to India. The Japanese people also want their Prime Minister to visit Nepal, Koirala said.

The Japanese Prime Minister is coming to Nepal on August 25 for a one-day official visit.

Earlier, Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta said the Prime Minister had wanted interactions and discussions in the civil society about different facets of Nepal’s relations with India before the visit. He said that the Prime Minister wants unanimity and agreement in our views and opinions.

No mistrust exists : Dr Thapa

From Lok Deep Thapa

New Delhi, July 29:Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India, Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa expressed the view that compared to the coolness in the relations between Nepal and India in the past year or so, the environment has improved significantly now. "The mistrust that was there in both the countries, has been lifted to a great extent," Dr Thapa said.

The Nepalese envoy indicated that the series of meetings between high level officials of the two countries in the recent past, contributed a lot in improving relations between the two South Asian neighbours. "There have been extensive discussions between the Foreign Ministers, Foreign Secretaries and Home Secretaries among others, and now the Prime Ministers of the two countries will hold discussions on the outcomes of those meetings," he said.

Talking to members of the Nepalese media at the Royal Nepalese Embassy here, two days before Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official visit to India begins, Dr. Thapa blamed some unforseeable events for the long gap between the visit of a Nepalese Prime Minister to India. The last time a Nepalese Prime Minister came on an official visit here was in 1996. The then Nepalese PM Sher Bahadur Deuba had come to New Delhi then.

"Four years is a long time and this should not have happened between two close friends, but due to unforeseen events in Nepal and India, such a thing happened." However he also frankly admitted that it probably was prudent to have postponed top level meetings when an unfavourable environment prevailed.

Emphasising his point, Dr. Thapa explained that even simple matters may be delayed and not be done when the environment is not favourable, but when relations are good even the most complex issues can be solved.

When asked what issues may be given priority in discussions between the heads of the governments of the two SAARC member nations, Ambassador Thapa replied that all the issues that have been raised in the media, like Kalapani, Laxmanpur dam, the 4 per cent special additional duty (SAD), Bhutanese refugee crisis, 1950 Treaty and border problems among others, will be brought up. However he warned that one should not expect instant solutions to all these problems. "Most of these issues are very old ones and I feel it will be pragmatic to go for an incremental approach, but at the same time I feel when the two Prime Ministers meet, they should make sure the issues do not get out of the hand further."

He added that as a diplomat it was his duty to ensure there is an improvement in the environment and also not to expect instant solutions to any issues. "However, at the moment, I am very optimistic that things will move ahead will," Thapa added.

Acknowledging the contributions of Indian Prime Minister AB Vajpayee in improving relations with neighbours, the Royal Nepalese Ambassador mentioned that the Indian PM has always shown magnanimity in his approach while dealing with neighbours. Thapa recalled the time when he was a secretary in HMG and Vajpayee had visited Nepal as India’s Foreign Minister, "Right from that time he had demonstrated his goodwill towards neighbouring countries," he said.

Thapa also expressed the belief that minority government in India always had better relations with India’s neighbours, "However now, because of the cold relations between India and Pakistan, such vibes are being reflected on all fronts in the region."

On SAARC, Ambassador Thapa said that the summit that was to be held in Kathmandu, will surely be held, "but it will not take place as early as we expect it to."

On SAD, he said that Nepal did not have much to go by in a legal way, but he expressed the view that it was against the spirit of the trade treaty between Nepal and India to have such a tax imposed on Nepalese imports. Thapa also advised the Nepalese business community to be more competitive and not only seek concessions. Ambassador Thapa revealed that he will be holding a meeting with the Indian Finance Secretary on the day PM Koirala is to arrive in New Delhi and he indicated he will strongly put up Nepal’s views on SAD at that meeting too.

IT policy to be made public

Pokhara, July 29 (RSS):

Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Prasad Chaudhari has said the information and technology policy would be made public in about a week’s time.

Minister Chaudhari, who was addressing a meet-the -press programme organised by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Kaski district chapter here on Friday, also said that efforts were on to developing an IT park in Banepa of Kavre district.

He said demands have been made for such an Information-Technology (IT) Park in Pokhara also.

One of the sweetest things of democracy is transparency and development of information and technology sector helps in maintaining transparency, he said. Transparency also helps reduce corruption, he added.

He said the Ministry of Science and Technology was formulating an action plan for the development of the agriculture meteorology information network as a precautionary and preparatory measure for farmers.

He informed that the ministry was also giving its attention on identification and the systematic development of traditional rural technology and said His Majesty’s Government was offering 50 per cent subsidy for the development of solar power as a means of rural electrification and energy source.

Meanwhile, Minister Chaudhari also Friday addressed the joint installation ceremony of the Gandaki Lions (women) Club and the Fishtail Lions Club.

On the occasion he said women can be reliable and active partners in the socio-economic development of the country.

At the programme, Lions Club International-325 governor Dr Yadav Prasad Panta installed the newly-elected office-bearers of the two Lions Clubs to their respective posts.

Meanwhile, Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Prasad Chaudhari has called on the Nepali Congress workers to eschew differences and work for the party’s tenth general conference in the near future and the local bodies’ elections in an organised manner.

Mr Chaudhari said this during a meeting with the party workers organised by the Nepali Congress Kaski district unit here on Friday.

He said the people of Pokhara should themselves strive for the development of their area into a centre of higher education, tourism and health services.

Stating that there was no alternative to democracy, Minister Chaudhari said that the activities of the Maoists were sheer terrorist activities aimed at finishing off democracy.

The Minister for Science and Technology stated that the Science and Technology Ministry was giving emphasis in the development of computer education and promotion of alternate energy.

Earlier, Nepali Congress district secretary Yagya Bahadur Thapa shed light on the activities of the party in the district.

Families displaced due to afflux bund

BY NAVIN SINGH KHADKA

Danda Santaliya, Banke, July 29: At least 70 houses, some of them turned into ruins, remain deserted here due to the pre-monsoon flood last month that submerged this village as the India-built afflux bund at a stone throw-away distance obstructed the water-flow to the south.

Only two families with their houses built on height have dared to stay back in this village hosting the debris of the houses rocked by the flood water. The water, for now, is gone but the algae-coated village-land reminds those left behind the scary night when the flood caught them off-guard.

"The water level remained the same for around a week," remembers Rashid Ahmed, one of the few locals in the village — 16 kilometers east to Nepalgunj. "All my four brothers went away but I can’t since I am too sick to carry my goods."

Most of the villagers, forced to leave their homes here, have for the time being temporarily settled at Uchaiya Village in the neighbourhood pitched at a height.

"I have seen many floods in my life," says Naurang Sheikh, the senior-most villager in the newly settled make-shift camp. "But, none of the others were as devastating as the last one."

And, the 75-year-old means it with a reason. All the fingers of the displaced people from this village point at one thing as the prime culprit: The afflux bund built by India some 500 meters away from the Nepal-India border here.

Nepal’s border pillar number 20 stands in this village.

After building the Laxmanpur Barrage on Rapti River in its Bahriach District in 1985, India began to build the afflux bund — in the upstream of the river and 10 kilometers west of the barrage — some two years ago.

Few months after the around 14 kilometers embankment was completed on May this year, the Nepalese side has begun to bear the brunt of the obstructed water-flow resulting into flood in and around this area.

The bund is five meter high in the western part while it descends to two meters in the eastern part. With its top width between 4 meters and 5.50 meters, the bund has the bottom width from 20 and 25 meters.

What makes the bund the nemesis of the locals in and around this area is its crow-fly away distance. At one point near Chhoti Bhansar, nearby where Nepal’s pillar number 19 stands, the embankment is only 300 meters far away.

But, the locals have not yet realised their nightmare they believe this raised structure would one day bring to them. And that will be when Rapti River will bring in flood. Records with the District Irrigation Office in Nepalgunj, show that the river can bring in 5,000 Cumec of water per second. One cumec equals to 1,000 liters of water.

"If that type of the flood comes, more than 15 villages will be inundated," says R.R. Sharma, Chief of the District Irrigation Office (DIO) in Nepalgunj.

So what is happening now ? Two small rivulets, Gandhali and Satlaiya, flowing down from Nepalese land, are not getting exit to the south after the bund stood in India. In the previous years, the water from the two sources flowed down to Indian land and the locals here had nothing much to worry about.

But now, since the bund is there, the water is here to stay at some places forcing people to leave. The Indian Embassy in Kathmandu last week had denied reports of a Parliamentary Committee that the afflux bund has resulted into flooding of Nepalese villages.

If the grudges of the Nepalese side is not enough, here is what the Indians affected by the bund have to say: "After the construction of this bund, 40 bigas of my land has been submerged," says Kanhaiya Lal Maurya, one of the locals in the Indian side.

Most of the Indians affected by the embankment have shifted to the other side of the bund. "What else could we do when the water level raised to our chest?" another victim Kanta Harijan says pointing at the temporary houses the Indian locals have built.

Around 60 Indian families have been displaced in the area.

For now, the most affected village has been Santaliya — that shares each half of its land between Nepal and India.

But other villages in Holiya Bethani, Mathaiya, Fatehpur, among other Village Development Committees, are equally at risk of getting inundated. Department of Irrigation estimates around 15,000 persons will be displaced if the flood hits the area.

Of course, the Indian side has made a small drain — near the Nepalese Border Pillar number 19 — as an outlet to the water that has submerged more than 300 hundred meters of land in the western part of the bund. But the drain is already too small to flush the water out.

Technicians in the DIO say that the drain — 2.10 meters wide and not even one meter high — is no match for the big quantity that has flooded the immediate northern land of the bund. "As much as 190 cumec water per second gets collected in the catchment area of the bund and so the water in no way can exit through the drain."

And it is all visible here. The water of the rivulets obstructed by the bund have hardly made their way out through the drain thereby keeping the Indian land — and some pieces of Nepalese land too — still submerged in the immediate south of the embankment.

If the situation is already like this, what will happen if Rapti swells to its full monsoon capacity is anyone’s guess. In that case, the drain dug by India, say technicians at the DOI, will rather help to let the Rapti water flow into its left bank further inundating Nepalese villages.

Till now, no heavy rains have fallen. But heavy rains are expected this month, if not the next month. If it rains heavily and the level of water rises high, then the Rapti river will tell on the area.

"If that happens we will neither be able to stay in our house nor will be able to plant our crops," says Sahura Sheikh, a lady in her 40’s forced to leave her house in Satlaiya Village after the last month’s flood.

With the Damocles’ sword lurking above, Nepalese in the vicinity of the bund continue to plant rice-saplings — as they have been doing annually this part of year. But this time, they have one fear in their mind: That the Rapti and other small rivulets would swell and would submerge their houses and fields on finding no way down to the south.

C.P. calls for unity to fight distortions

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 29: The Patriotic and Democratic Forum Nepal founded with C.P. Mainali leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) as Co-ordinator has called upon all the patriots and democrats to come under its umbrella to raise a united voice against the social and political perversions.

"The Forum is not affiliated with any political ideology, it has been formed to bring together true patriots and democrats willing to join hands for consolidating democracy and raising widespread awareness on rampant corruption, issues of livelihood and other national issues confronting the nation," Mainali told an interaction programme.

Mainali said the political parties had failed to fulfill the aspirations of the people despite the elapse of a decade after the restoration of democracy.

He said all political parties had undermined democratic norms and values in the past years of democratic exercise.

Mainali opposed the privatisation of public enterprises and maintained that it had just been made the means of drawing commission.

National debt has doubled in the last ten years and the successive governments have not been able to open new industries to solve the problem of unemployment, he said.

Professor Ballav Mani Dahal presenting a paper on ‘Nationalism and National Security said national security is directly linked with the feeling of oneness which can only prevail by adopting a policy of unity in diversity.

"The 21st century is the expansion of democracy to each and every cross section of the society," he said.

Dahal said nationalism, democracy and national security were inter-linked and needed to be dealt comprehensively.

He said the encroachment of Nepal’s borders by India, migration of a large number of Indians to Nepal and the upper hand of India in the harnessing of Nepal’s water resources had also been posing a threat to national security.

Hiranya Lal Shrestha of the CPN(ML) said scrapping of unequal treaties signed with India and the signing of new treaty based on the principle of mutual co-existence and equality was necessary to ensure national security.

Consolidation of nationalism, democracy and social justice can only strengthen national security, Shrestha said.

Scholar Aananda Dev Bhatta said establishing a forum to raise a united voice against the perversions that have mounted in the past decade was a positive step. He however said that the Forum should be able to present to the people the genuine issues it looks forward to raise.

He said that the democrats and nationalists would never waiver from their stance and would ultimately succeed in voicing their cause and bringing to books the leaders who had been robbing the country in the name of social justice and democracy.

Freight forwarders’ role in trade promotion stressed

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 29: State Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Narendra Bikram Nemwang today said that freight forwarders could play a crucial role to promote export trade.

"The freight forwarders should come forward as multi-modal transport organisers to survive in the sophisticated global market," Nemwang said addressing a seminar on Multimodal Transport, Trade, Transit and Export here this morning.

The seminar was organised by Nepal Freight Forwarders Association (NEFFA) coinciding with its sixth anniversary.

Assuring government support to make export trade safe, simple and cost-effective, Nemwang appealed to the freight forwarders for the successful implementation of the newly prepared bill of lading (pragyapanpatra).

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradeep Kumar Shrestha in line with Nemwang stressed on professionalism on part of the freight forwarders. "The freight forwarders should serve and delight their customers."

Urging the government to create a favourable environment for the growth of freight forwarding business, Shrestha emphasised the need to diversify the export trade. He said that the construction of Inland Clearance Depots in Biratnagar, Birgunj and Bhairahawa was a significant step towards this.

"Nepalese freight forwarders require training to compete with the foreign freight forwarders," President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said. "The government should make arrangements to train the Nepalese freight forwarders."

NEFFA President Rabindra Man Singh said that freight forwarders should be guided by the principle of better, honest and efficient logistic service to the clients.

"The Prime Minister during his visit to India this week should request the Indian side for better transit for the promotion of trade with the third country including additional port facilities such as Kandala and Jawahar Lal Nehru Port," Singh said.

The development of professional manpower is vital to the development of the freight forwarding industry, NEFFA General Secretary Namgyal Lama said.

President of Freight Forwarders Association of India (FFAI) R. Srinivasan and FFAI Past President Vinod K. Chaudhary said that infrastructure development was essential to promote export. Chauchary stressed on multi-modal transport for trade promotion.

Visit gets media coverage Koirala to push for better ties

New Delhi, India, July 29 (RSS): The official visit of the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to India from Monday is being highlighted by various Indian newspapers.

The Hindustan Times of July 29, in its title "Koirala to push for better economic ties with India" writes, informed sources say the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala will raise the problem faced by Nepalese businessmen while doing business with India.

The export of Nepalese goods to India has fallen by 35 per cent in the past three months as compared to the corresponding period last year, owing to India’s unilateral clamping of 4.5 per cent additional service tax on goods coming from Nepal, the paper writes adding the provision of the 1990 trade and transit treaty, if honoured by India, should have paved the way for greater market access to Nepalese goods.

The treaty also provided for facilitation of trade and transit between the two countries but when it came to implementation, India treated Nepal like it does any other foreign country, the Hindustan writes.

New Delhi’s policy has also resulted in Nepal missing large international investment in the hydropower sector. The two countries signed a historic power trade agreement in July 1997 which allows any private sector company to set up plants in Nepal and sell power to India, the paper states.

It also writes that the U.S. power giant Enron was talking about U.S. dollar 6 billion investment in Karnali and the global infrastructure fund was evening interest in Pancheshwor, but both backed out following India’s slow pedalling.

The Hindustan Times writes, Nepalese Prime Minister would seek to open new vistas of economic cooperation by entering into a partnership in the sector.

Another prominent Indian daily the Statesman in its, "Koirala’s goodwill trip to mend ties" writes India and Nepal need goodwill to put relations back on track and that is what the forthcoming visit of the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala from 31 July to 6 August is set to achieve.

It writes the visit comes a few months after the tension that clouded Indo-Nepal ties over the hijacking of the Indian Airlines aircraft in December had begun to give way to a degree of normalization marked by exchange of high level meeting.

Though issues like the Kalapani, Laxmanpur Barrage, and imposition of four percent duty on goods imported from Nepal persist as major irritants in Indo-Nepal ties security, terrorism and review of the 1950 treaty of peace and friendship are expected to dominate the agenda of the prime ministerial and delegation level meetings, it adds.

The paper also quotes the Royal Nepalese ambassador to India Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa as saying, "In a way what Mr. Koirala means by a goodwill visit is let us bring back the old past."

Mr. Thapa is of the opinion that Indo-Nepal relations have remained unchanged due largely to the fact that they have been "people centric", the paper writes, adding if there have been any changes both in perception and substance, they have taken place only recently and there is need to restructure this relationship, it quotes Ambassador Thapa as saying.

The Telegraph of July 28 writes, relations between the two neighbours had nose dived after the hijack of the Indian Airlines airbus from Kathmandu last December. Though both sides made serious efforts to patch up their differences, the forthcoming visit is being seen as the high point in this attempt to normalise ties.

Quoting the diplomatic sources the paper writes Koirala, the first prime minister to come here in four years, will try his best to make this visit a success.

Another prominent Indian daily Indian Express writes according to a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs"what we are concerned with is the misuse of border the challenge for both side was to prevent the criminal from misusing this."

Another newspaper Tribune in its July 29 issues with, "Nepalese Prime Minister to arrive on July 31," writes the two prime ministers would discuss bilateral trade, Indian investments in Nepal and Indian assistance in the fields of information technology would be under focus during the talks.

It writes the Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship concluded in 1950 would also come up for discussion adding New Delhi has an open mind on the issue and the two foreign secretaries have already taken up the issues during their discussion on earlier occasions.

Many other prominent Indian media have also given wide coverage of the Prime Minister Koirala’s visit to India.

Suggestions sought for water strategy

Pokhara, July 29 (RSS): His Majesty’s Government has started to collect suggestions from concerned persons and bodies on a segment-wise basis to frame a long term water strategy.

A western regional level workshop on this theme organised by the Water and Power Commission concluded here Friday.

The workshop suggested pondering seriously on the national interest while seeking assistance from the international community for the integrated development of irrigation, water resources and hydro power.

It further suggested working things out in advance while dealing with donor agencies and utilising foreign aid properly, devising an adequate legal framework, making the water and power commission stronger, controlling electricity leakage and laying out the transmission system free from political prejudices. Some 70 representatives from various political parties, academic institutions and governmental and non-governmental organisations took part in the 3-day workshop.

His Majesty felicitates

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS): His Majesty the King has felicitated His Majesty King Sidi Mohamed Ben El Hassan of Morocco on the occasion of the Throne Day of the Kingdom of Morocco.

In a message of felicitations, His Majesty has extended best wishes for His Majesty King Hassan’s personal health and happiness as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of Morocco.

His Majesty has also expressed confidence that the friendly relations between the two kingdoms will grow from strength to strength in the years to come.

Message of congratulation

Kathmandu, July 30 (RSS):  Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has sent a message of congratulations to Prime Minister Abderrahmane El-Youssoufi on the occasion of the Throne Day of the Kingdom of Morocco.

In a congratulatory message, Prime Minister Koirala has extended best wishes for the Moroccan Prime Minister’s good health and happiness as well as for the progress and prosperity of the people of Morocco.