KATHMANDU: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has clarified in Parliament the recent remarks made by Prime Minister Balen Shah regarding the Nepal–India border issue.
Speaking in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Minister Khanal said the Prime Minister’s comments were mainly related to issues of cross-border occupation and encroachment in the no-man’s land areas.
He said that while questions are often raised about the involvement of third parties in Nepal–India border matters, Nepal remains fully capable of handling its own affairs.
Referring to the historical background of the Sugauli Treaty, Khanal said that although some discussions may appear to involve third-country contexts, Nepal does not seek third-party mediation in resolving its border issues.
He stressed that Nepal prefers to resolve the matter through direct dialogue with India.
Khanal also said that the Prime Minister’s remarks referred to minor shifts in land use and occupation in border areas due to local-level practices over time.
He added that people living in border areas may have gradually used land across the boundary, which the Prime Minister had pointed out as a general observation, and urged that the issue be understood with sensitivity and in the national interest.
The minister said the government is ready to resolve border-related issues through diplomatic channels.
He further told Parliament that mapping work is being carried out by the Nepal–India Boundary Working Group and other mechanisms to address such concerns.
Comment