Kathmandu: Ahead of Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s upcoming visit to India, Kathmandu has finalised a comprehensive wish list it wants New Delhi to fulfil.
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At a time when Nepal-India relations reached an all-time low due to protests in southern plain in Nepal and India’s displeasure over the new constitution promulgated in last September, the visit is being viewed with great interest. Petrol was supplied to both private and public two- wheelers and four-wheeler vehicles from all petrol stations in Kathmandu, following resumption of fuel supplies to Nepal from India on Monday through the Raxaul border after agitating madhesis called off their almost five-month-long blockade that caused acute shortage of petroleum in the landlocked nation.
Oli has also been asked by some organisations to talk to India about revising the “unequal” 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, to which Oli has responded that he will work for the welfare of the country.
Prime Minister K P Oli held a meeting of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) besides the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) during which it was chose to form the mechanism with terms of reference by Sunday, before the premier embarks on his much-anticipated visit to India.
Gopal Khanal, the prime minister’s foreign affairs advisor, cited Oli as saying: “Your presence in this hour of grief also demonstrates that India is a friend during hard times for Nepal”.
India’s foreign ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup told reporters the visit was “expected to lead to a further strengthening of our age old, close and friendly relations with Nepal”. The Nepal government should show positive gestures before Oli’s visit to India begins so that he could get a positive response there, Mahato claimed.
Details of the visit have not yet been fixed, he said.
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During the visit, the two sides are preparing to sign an agreement for utilisation of $1 billion Indian aid and loan pledged during the International Conference on Nepal’s Reconstruction in June by India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Earlier, Oli said it would not be appropriate for him to visit New Delhi until the blockade of key trade points with India is lifted.
