Govt objects to India's inauguration of link road via Lipu Lekh

Kathmandu - The government has objected to the ‘inauguration’ of ‘Link Road’ by India, connecting to Lipu Lekh (Nepal), which passes through Nepali territory. Issuing a press note today, the government reminded that Nepal consistently maintained that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal.

"This was reiterated by the Government of Nepal several times in the past and most recently through a diplomatic note addressed to the Government of India dated 20 November 2019 in response to the new political map issued by the latter," read the press statement issued by the Foreign Ministry.

The government further said the unilateral act runs against the understanding reached between the two countries including at the level of Prime Ministers that a solution to boundary issues would be sought through negotiation. Nepal remains committed to seek diplomatic solution to boundary issues on the basis of the historical treaty, documents, facts and maps in keeping with the spirit of close and friendly ties between the two countries, the government added.

The government also called upon the Indian government to refrain from carrying out any activity inside the territory of Nepal. "It may be recalled that the Government of Nepal had expressed its disagreement in 2015 through separate diplomatic notes addressed to the governments of both India and China when the two sides agreed to include Lipu Lekh Pass as a bilateral trade route without Nepal’s consent in the Joint Statement issued on 15 May 2015 during the official visit of the Prime Minister of India to China," government reiterated.

Moreover, it said Nepal reemphasizes that pending boundary issues between the two countries should be resolved through diplomatic means. Nepal has also proposed twice the dates for holding the meeting of the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries, as mandated by their leaders, for which the response from the Indian side is still awaited, according to the Ministry.

It may be noted that the two governments had constituted the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India Relations with a mandate to recommend measures and institutional framework with a view to elevating the existing relations to a new height.

The Group has concluded its task and prepared a consensus report, the press statement mentioned, adding that Nepal is ready to receive the report and believes that it will be in the interest of the two countries to implement its recommendations which will also help address the outstanding issues left by the history, thereby paving the way for ever stronger neighbourly relations.