10 May 2020, Kathmandu
Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has said Nepal will hold talks with the Chinese government on the issue of India constructing a road encroaching Nepal’s land in Lipu Lekh.
Responding to a query raised by the members of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives on Sunday, Home Minister Thapa said Nepal will hold talks also with China after the construction of a new link road by India to connect Mansarobar of Tibet, China, via Kalapani Lipu Lekh area which falls in Nepali territory.
Minister Thapa maintained that the issue should be also be discussed with China as India has opened a trade gateway through Nepali territory with the consent of China.
“It is a contentious and sensitive issue,” he said, “We also need to talk to China.”
He said that the present generation was suffering due to the mistakes made by the previous governments.
According to Thapa, the then rulers made a serious mistake by allowing India to keep its troops at Nepal’s border to avoid China and today Nepal has to face the consequences.
He clarified that Nepal would take the diplomatic initiative to bring back the encroached Nepali land and if that was not possible, the border dispute with India would be resolved by talking to the United Kingdom as it is one of the signatories of the Sugauli Treaty.
