Nepal serious about its commitments: Minister Pandey

February 22, 2005
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Newly appointed Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey has said His Majesty’s Government of Nepal is “very serious” about its commitments with India, a news report said.

In an interview with the Kathmandu-based correspondent of IANS, an Indian news service, Pandey said fifty years of Indo-Nepal relation tell a story of wasted opportunities.

“We call for frankness and transparency. The government is very serious about its commitments with India,” the agency on Tuesday quoted Minister Pandey as saying.

As for Nepal’s political leaders fleeing to India and starting protests against the recent political developments in Nepal there, Pandey said Nepal-India relations were so wide and open that free travel by each other’s citizens was a very normal phenomenon.

“But as far as political considerations are concerned,” he added, “our government’s standing policy is not to allow Nepal’s soil to be used against any of its neighbours. We are confident that our friendly neighbours will reciprocate,” according to the news report.

The minister’s remarks have come amid latest reports that India has reaffirmed its support to Nepali political parties. Nepali authorities are yet to comment on the Indian government’s decision to put on hold its military aid to Nepal.

India is the largest supplier of arms and ammunition to Nepal that is fighting the ten-year-old Maoist insurgency. nepalnews.com by Feb 22 05