Nepal-India discuss new extradition treaty draft

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 17: Officials from Nepal and India discussed today on the earlier exchanged drafts for the new extraditon treaty and exchanged their views regarding the treaty, the second day of the three day meeting.

The discussion proceeded smoothly and without any controversy, said Dr. Madan Kumar Bhattarai, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the head of Nepalese delegation. The Indian side is headed by B. A. Roy, Joint Secretary, Foreign Ministry of India.

The meeting may continue for one day more as the Nepal's National Democracy Day falls on the 19 February.

India had forwarded its draft to Nepal some 18 months ago, and Nepal did the same in July 2002. The exchange of drafts was aimed at studying each other's views on the proposed treaty.

The discussion regarding extradition treaty and a new deal Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters are going simultaneously in a cordial matter, said Dr. Bhattarai.

The agreement is expected to help ease procedures regarding legal and criminal matters and settle complications that may arise during their investigation, Bhattarai said.

They will also review the existing treaty signed between the two neighbours five decades ago on August 2, 1953. The treaty was signed by the then Nepalese Prime Minister, Matrika Prasad Koirala, and Indian Ambassador to Nepal B.K. Gokhale. Nepal and India had signed the first extradition treaty in 1855, during the Rana regime.

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