House panel to seek Foreign Ministry's response on map issue

Kathmandu, Sept. 3

The International Relations and Tourism Committee (IRTC) of the House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament is set to seek response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on the issue of sending the diplomatic notes to the neighbouring countries while issuing a new map of the Nepal including the Kalapani and Lipulek region in its territory in 2020.

Then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and incumbent Foreign Affairs Minster, NP Saud, have articulated contrary versions on the new map of Nepal.

The committee wants to have clarifications from both the leaders as they made contradictory public statements on the sensitive issue of amending the constitution and releasing a new map of the country and informing it to the concerned countries, Chairperson of the IRTC, Raj Kishor Yadav said on Sunday.

The committee is also set to demand information from the MoFA regarding the activities of the then government.

Yadav said that Nepal prefers to conduct diplomatic dialogue and discussion to resolve any issues related to border and other areas.

When India published its political map in 2019 including Nepali territory inside its international borders, Nepal had immediately sent diplomatic note expressing dissatisfaction over India's unilateral move.

But instead of correcting its move, the southern neighbour built a road in Nepali territory of Kalapani region. It forced Nepal to publish a new map of the country including the India-occupied region in its territory.

Meanwhile, last Monday, China issued a new map of the country including Indian land of Arunachal Province and disputed Aksai Chin area in its territory. The map doesn't show Nepal's newly added territories of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulek area.

While Gyawali said recently that the then  government had 'protested' the Indian act and communicated with the Chinese government regarding the move, FM Saud on Sunday claimed that the previous government did not formally convey the information about the map to the concerned countries through the diplomatic channels.

Blaming the government of being unresponsive of the act, Gyawali said that Nepal should immediately send a diplomatic note to Beijing seeking the reason why Kalapani region is missing from its international political map.

But FM Saud expressed the government's commitment to Nepal's new map and stated the willingness to resolve border disputes through diplomatic channels.

He claimed that he was uncertain whether the updated map had been officially communicated to the concerned countries.

Meanwhile, FM Saud said that the government intends to resolve border disputes with neighboring countries through dialogue.

According to TRN correspondent in Okhaldhunga, when asked at a press conference there about the government plan to respond to the new map of China excluding the Nepali territory, he said the government would try to address the case through discussions and diplomatic channels.

The MoFA had issued a statement on Friday, reaffirming Nepal's new map and demanding the international community's respect for it.

FM Saud emphasised that Nepal's parliament had unanimously passed the updated political and administrative map in 2020, and the government remains committed to resolving any border issues through diplomatic initiatives. He reiterated the government's dedication to strengthening its relations with neighboring countries and achieving economic development and prosperity in the nation.

In the meantime, the IRTC is also planning to summon Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to discuss the agenda that he would take with him in his upcoming China visit which is slated for September 22.

Chairman Yadav said that the House Panel intends to confer on the important issues to be discussed during the PM's China visit and help the government with pragmatic suggestions from the political parties and leaders.

The committee has former Prime Ministers KP Sharma Oli and Madhav Kumar Nepal, and leaders like Prakash Man Singh as its members. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 September 2023.