DPM Thapa leaves India to resolve trade embargo

Kathmandu / October 17: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa has left for a three-day official visit to India at an invitation from Indian Minister for External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj.

Speaking to journalists at Tribhuvan International Airport, DPM Thapa expressed commitment to do his best in resolving the obstruction of essential supplies at the Nepal-India border.

The DPM further said he would hold bilateral talks with his Indian counterpart and other top Indian government officials on ending the unease seen at the border points. The visit will be entirely centered on ending the problem that has emerged between the two countries, he added.

“I am confident the visit will be fruitful as I am visiting with good will, love and wishes of 30 million Nepali people,” Thapa said, adding that he had already held discussions on the preparations made for the visit with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and High Level Political Coordination Committee Chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal.

Separate consultations were also held with former Foreign Minister and Minister for Commerce and Supply for making the visit fruitful.

Responding to a question, DPM Thapa said discussion will also be held over the invitation extended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to PM Oli for an official visit to India.

The nine-member delegation headed by Thapa includes Commerce and Supply Secretary Aindra Prasad Upadhyay, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, Nepali Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyay and Joint Secretary at the Finance Ministry Laxman Aryal among others.

India has been imposing undeclared blockade to Nepal since the promulgation of new constitution as Nepal failed to address concerns of India. India has been stopping supply of goods to Nepal citing unrest in tarai area but the tarai based parties have been protesting at the tune of Indian government. Nepal failed to divide federal states as per the interest of India.

India eased supply of essential good for a day after CPN-UML leader K P Sharma Oli became the Prime Minister but again imposed restricted supply of goods to Nepal. Nepal has been reeling under acute shortage of goods especially petroleum products ahead of the major festivals of Nepali People due to such restriction. Nepal largely depends on the supply of goods from India.

United Nations has also mentioned that it will not be able to provide humanitarian support to victims of April earthquake if supply of petroleum products was not eased immediately. Nearly 10 thousand people killed and thousand others injured during the earthquake of April this year. Many people are compelled to live in temporary shelters due to lack of construction materials.

Thapa’s visit is considered as an effort of newly elected Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to patch up relations with India. India is believed to be trying to stop Oli from getting the top executive post of the country. It is said that Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala gave his candidacy for the top post as per the suggestions of India. However, immediately after the election of the Prime Minister in Nepal. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Oli and congratulated him. He also invited Oli to visit India. Modi’s call was taken positively in Nepal and believed that he will support to ease the supply of petroleum products but there is no sign of hope in this regard.

Experts have been suggesting the government to find alternative for the supply of petroleum products from other countries and companies breaking the monopoly of Indian state run Indian Oil Corporation. The Nepal Oil Corporation also called global tender for importing petroleum products but it failed to execute the decision. RSS