Saturday, March 20, 2021

PM stresses on need to revitalise SAARC

 Kathmandu, Mar. 16

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that there is a need to revitalise the SAARC and organise the summit at the earliest date possible.

"Although SAARC couldn't perform as per our expectations, it had very positive impact on the regional affairs and relations," he said in an interview with CNN News India the day before.

He said that he thought SAARC was established because all countries then thought it would be instrumental in exchanging ideas and thoughts and share opportunities and work together to fight with common challenges.

PM Oli also said that the talks have been started and continued for resolving the Kalapani issue. "We have shown evidences and historical backgrounds on the issue," he said.

According to him, the vaccine donated by India to Nepal was not a diplomacy but a matter of friendship between us. India donated about a million doses vaccines to Nepal while the latter also purchased vaccines from India as well.

COVID-19 pandemic had taught us a lesson that we should work and move together, he said.

"We have to change our mindset to a more standardized international structure. Relationship between and among the countries in the region have become stronger after the pandemic breakout," he said.

He also maintained that the big ticket projects with Chinese investment in Nepal were not debt trap for Nepal.

"We want investment in any form like loans, grants or joint-ventures since our separate efforts are not sufficient to meet the need of country's economic growth and development," he stated.

PM Oli also said that there shouldn't be any doubt or confusion on the bilateral relations between Nepal and India.

We have two neighbours on both sides and we have good ties with them. The geopolitical situation of the country also demands it that way, said the PM.

Talking about the current political challenge after the split of erstwhile Nepal Communist Party (NCP), he commented that there were contradictions among the political parties as well as within a party, there is constitution and democratic system which provide a framework to resolve the problem.

"We will decide how to move ahead while remaining within that system," he said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 17 March 2021. 

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