Lalitpur, Jan. 20:
Main opposition Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has stressed maintaining balanced relation with India and criticised the Indian media for the coverage implicating Nepal in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines plane last month.

The relations between the two countries should be based on the principles of freedom and equality, said Jhala Nath Khanal, the head of UML’s foreign affairs department and appealed to the government to take initiatives to review the 1950 Treaty that put Nepal at an unequal footing.

The government should also make attempts to solve the problem of open boarder between the two countries that has often proved to be a cause of trouble for us, Khanal told a talk programme on ‘Nepal India Relations’ organised by Rotary Club of Patan West here this evening.

Khanal showed serious concern over Indian media reports following the hijack of a New Delhi-bound Indian Airlines plane late last month that Nepal’s security mechanism was very week. “It is acceptable that we need to modernise and tighten the security measure at Tribhuvan International Airport. However, Indian government’s strategic attempt to bring TIA security under its umbrella is unacceptable.”

Khanal said that Nepal was not solely responsible for the hijack and criticised Indian media’s coverage, which, he said, jeopardised Nepal’s image internationally.

Protesting against India’s reported demand to keep her security post at Tribhuvan International Airport, Khanal said that the government as well as the public should be alert about it.

Khanal said the government should make public the contents of a letter that Indian government reportedly sent to the Prime Minister two weeks ago.