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Delhi and Kathmandu close to new border pact

The over 1,800 kilometre open border between India and Nepal, one of the biggest problems for bilateral ties, is being freshly demarcated with 98 per cent of the new survey completed, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Tuesday.

  • IANS
  • Published: 23:15 November 25, 2008
  • Gulf News

  • Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee (right) with Nepali Congress president and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, following border discussion.
  • Image Credit: AP

Kathmandu: The over 1,800 kilometre open border between India and Nepal, one of the biggest problems for bilateral ties, is being freshly demarcated with 98 per cent of the new survey completed, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Tuesday.

All "differences and divergences" on border issues would be resolved soon, added the minister.

Mukherjee, the most senior Indian official to visit Nepal since the formation of a Maoist-led government in the Himalayan republic following elections in April, met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" to discuss a wide gamut of bilateral issues, ranging from border disputes to Nepal's aim to draft a new constitution in two years.

Fruitful talks

Describing the nearly 45-minute long talks as "extremely fruitful", the Indian minister said 98 per cent of the work to update the border had been completed.

Nepal, he said, had asked for changes in "one or two places" and as soon as they were implemented, the leaders of the two neighbouring countries would sign a boundary map pact.

India and Nepal share a number of Himalayan rivers and the border between the two countries is demarcated on the basis of the river courses. However, as the rivers changed their path over the years, there has been growing allegations of encroachment by both sides.

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