Nepal CA member says S. M. Krishna visit of great value

KATHMANDU - Hari Rokka, a Constituent Assembly member and analyst with close ties with the UCPN (Maoist), has said Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna’s visit to Nepal from Friday will hold special significance in the context of the future of Indo-Nepal ties.

“It will be closely followed up how the Indian leadership approaches the border issue raised by the opposition and the current state of political stalemate,” Kantipur quoted Rokka as, saying.

Krishna’s visit is being seen here as New Delhi’s effort to address Nepal’s call for reciprocity in high-level bilateral visits.

The visit will deal with a range of bilateral issues, but is aimed primarily at giving Nepal-India ties a further boost.

The visit will also provide the Indian political leadership an opportunity to take first-hand stock of the state of the peace process in Nepal.

During his visit, Krishna will call on President Ram Baran and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.

He will also hold talks with his counterpart Sujata Koirala on close to a dozen issues.

Issues of Indian compensation for Gandak flood victims and extension of two new cross-border rail links will be taken up.

The delay in construction of the Indian-assisted Naumure Hydro Project (240mw), the early implementation of the Bagmati Civilisation Project and Indian assurance on importing LPG from the Haldia port will be taken up.

Nepal will also ask for more scholarships for Nepali students, the construction of the Mahendranagar-Tanakpur link road and assistance for two suspension bridges in the Far-Western region.

This would be Krishna’s first visit to Nepal after assuming charge as Minister of External Affairs and is in consonance with the ongoing high-level bilateral interaction between the two countries. (ANI)