KATHMANDU: The government has been asked to intensify diplomatic efforts to resolve the border dispute particularly in the Lipu Lekh area by holding a tripartite high-level meeting among Nepal, India and China.
Leaders of major political parties at an all-party meeting called by Prime Minister KP Oli on Wednesday emphasized on initiating dialogue both at the diplomatic and political levels to resolve the ongoing dispute after India unilaterally constructed and inaugurated a link road by encroaching Nepal’s land in Lipu Lekh.
The leaders urged the government to expedite the process of talks based on the Nepal-India High-Level Technical Committee initiative.
Briefing the meeting, Prime Minister KP Oli said Nepal cannot surrender, but can lease the land in which India has constructed the link road India, a leader attending the meeting said.
PM Oli assured the leaders that Nepal will not in any pretext relinquish its land while telling the meeting that India wants to hold dialogue with Nepal once the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
“The government must accelerate high-level talks with Indian and China,” Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Deuba said Indian army must leave Kalapani immediately, and the Nepal government should be loud and clear to tell India that Kalapani, Lipu Lekh and Limpiyadhura belong to Nepal.
“We cannot tolerate India’s dominance and encroachment,” he told the meeting suggesting the government to engage in meaningful dialogue with India.
The government of Nepal has raised its serious objection after India inaugurated the road linking China’s Mansarovar with India.
It should be noted that the construction and inauguration of the road via Lipu Lekh has been criticized by both Nepal’s ruling and opposition parties.
The government had raised serious objection after Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the link road from Dharchula to Lipulekh last week.
Soon after this, the relations between Nepal and India came under a confrontational mode with diplomatic stand-off.
Likewise, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has also expressed concern over the construction of the road. The MoFA has already urged the Indian side to refrain from carrying out activities inside the Nepali territory.
The Ministry, earlier this week, summoned Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra and handed a ‘diplomatic note’ to him making clear Nepal;s stance on the issue.
The government of Nepal had earlier called an all-party meeting in November 2019 when India issued a new political map that included Limiyadhura, Kalapani, and Lipu Lekh.
Nepal has been adamant to its stance that the territories east of Mahakali River, including Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipu Lekh belong to Nepal as per the Sugauli Treaty of 1816.
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