PTI
New Delhi
India on Tuesday categorically rejected any role for third parties to resolve its boundary row with Nepal, days after Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah sought involvement of China and the United Kingdom (UK) to address the long-standing dispute.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India and Nepal have established bilateral mechanisms to deal with all aspects of the border issue and that close to 98% of the India-Nepal boundary has been demarcated.
Nepal and India have had an old boundary dispute over Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani. India has consistently maintained that the territories are part of Uttarakhand.
“We have established bilateral mechanisms to deal with all aspects of boundary matters. It should be clear to all concerned that there is no role for any third parties in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal,” Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing.
Shah, the rapper-turned-politician, said in Nepalese Parliament on Sunday that apart from discussions with India on the border dispute, Nepal was in touch with China and Britain as well.
The three areas are located near the border between India and China.
“Since this problem dates from the time when British India left the region, it is our view that England should be involved in this matter,” the Nepalese Prime Minister had said.
The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson’s response came when asked about Shah’s comments.
“We have seen the remarks of the prime minister of Nepal concerning India-Nepal boundary as well as the subsequent statement issued by Nepali foreign ministry this matter,” Jaiswal said.
“While close to 98% of the India-Nepal boundary has been demarcated, there are some unresolved segments. The shifting of the course of the Gandak river has resulted in this situation,” he said.
“In addition, there are cases of cross-border occupation and encroachment of no-man’s land in demarcated segments of the boundary which are currently being mapped jointly,” he added.
In his comments, Shah had also acknowledged that Nepal has “encroached” on Indian territories.
The Nepalese Prime Minister also suggested without elaborating that India and Nepal have agreed to take the help of historians, surveyors and experts to seek a resolution.
When specifically asked by a lawmaker about the government’s view on the dispute concerning the Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani areas, Shah said it is not just India that has “encroached” land in Nepal, the latter too had done the same with its southern neighbour.
Hours after Shah’s comments, Nepal foreign ministry said his remarks were related to “no-man’s land encroachments” and “cross-border occupation” between the two countries, rather than any territorial claims.
Last month, India rejecting Nepal’s objection to the upcoming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the long-established Lipulekh Pass, dismissed Kathmandu’s territorial claims over the region as “unilateral artificial enlargement”.
