Miscellaneous
Ex-PMs, ministers ask Oli to put national intersts ahead
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday held a meeting with former prime ministers and foreign ministers and solicited their advice on the issues that his government should take up with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to arrive in the country on Friday on a two-day state visit.Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday held a meeting with former prime ministers and foreign ministers and solicited their advice on the issues that his government should take up with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to arrive in the country on Friday on a two-day state visit.
Former PM Baburam Bhattarai said the meeting participants advised PM Oli to put the national interests ahead when holding bilateral talks with Modi.
PM Oli and his Indian counterpart Modi are due to hold bilateral talks on a range of issues, including inland water navigation, agriculture and extension of India rail up to Kathmandu from the Indian border. Besides, the two prime ministers are also scheduled to remotely lay the foundation of Arun III Hydroelectricity Project located in Sankhuwasabha district.
PM Oli told the meeting that all pending issues between Nepal and India as well as the pacts reached during his India visit in April will figure in his talks with Indian PM Modi. During his India visit, PM Oli had held understandings on several issues with the Indian government officials, including flood mitigation at border areas; the long-standing boundary dispute; matters related to trade, commerce and transit; increasing air routes; and utilisation of water resources.CPN-UML leader Rajan Bhattarai said the issue of removing field office of the Indian Embassy in Biratnagar was also discussed in Tuesday’s meeting.