PM proposes to put delineation on hold; PM advised to enhance goodwill during China visit

Kathmandu / March 23: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has proposed CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Federal Socialist Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav to seek consensus in the contentious issues by keeping aside the issue of provinces’ delineation.

During the separate meetings with Oli and Yadav in the Speaker’s Office, Singhadurbar, on Thursday, the PM held talks with the leaders on constitution amendment and local level polls.

PM Dahal, who is embarking on a visit to China tonight, told the opposition leaders that he was wishing to share positive messages of political consensus with the neighbours, it is learnt. However, the opposition leaders have stressed the need for further consultations in the topics.

The PM held talks with Yadav in the first phase while the PM sat for talks with Chairman Oli and UML vice-chairman Bamdev Gautam and Nepali Congress General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula later.

PM advised to enhance goodwill during China visit

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has today consulted with the former Prime Ministers and China experts in connection with his six-day official visit to the People’s Republic of China.
The Prime Minister is embarking on a visit to the northern neighbour in the evening today to take part in the annual conference of Boao Forum for Asia. The conference is being held from March 23-26 in the Boao City of Hainan Province of the northern neighbour.

During the consultations with the former PMs and China experts at his official residence in Baluwatar, the Prime Minister took suggestions from and heard the views of the former prime ministers and experts regarding the topics of mutual interests that should be raised during his multilateral meetings with the Chinese leaders.

In the meeting, Prime Minister Prachanda said that his meeting would be significant in terms of consolidating the bilateral relations between Nepal and China, according to PM’s press advisor Govinda Acharya.

Talking to journalists after the meeting, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said the former Prime Ministers, China experts and businesspersons have been briefed about the PM’s China visit.

After attending the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference, Prime Minister Prachanda will travel to Beijing where he will be holding a meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mahat stated Nepal’s preparations regarding the ways of expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries have been completed but added that no agreements will be held at present due to technical reasons.

“Discussions were held on connectivity between the two countries, the Kodari road, Syaphrubesi road and One Belt One Road, among other topics in the consultations,” Mahat said.

Former Prime Minister Jhal Nath Khanal said that they suggested the Prime Minister to focus all his attention to enhancing goodwill between the two countries.

“The two countries have immense possibility of development and cooperation, and these prospects should be kept in mind. We are confident that your visit will be successful if you are able to warm the relations that seemed to have soured to some extent in this interval,” Khanal said.

Besides Khanal, former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba and Madhav Kumar Nepal were also present in the consultative meeting.

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs Ramesh Nath Pandey informed journalists that they suggested the Prime Minister to promote goodwill as the confidence in relations with China and India at present has waned.

“The main objective of such a visit is to win the confidence and enhance goodwill when there is a situation of crisis of confidence,” Pandey asserted. RSS