Kathmandu, October 5
An experts’ term formed by the government to collect evidence to prove that the disputed Kalapani-Limpiyadhura region belongs to Nepal, not India, has submitted its report to the government.
Sources say the panel submitted its report to Foreign Affairs Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Sunday evening. The government is yet to make an announcement about the submission of the report. Neither have details of the report been made public.
Based on this report, the government plans to hold talks with India so as to resolve the border dispute. It has been months since Nepal proposed a meeting with India to discuss the issue, but India has not responded to the request.
The government had formed the team comprising policy researcher Bishnu Raj Upreti, international law expert Surya Subedi, historian Ramesh Dhungel, constitutional expert Bipin Adhikari, water resources expert Jagat Kumar Bhusal, former survey official Toya Nath Baral, former army officer Himalaya Thapa, community forestry activist Apsara Chapagain and Foreign Affairs Ministry official Ram Prasad Subedi, in early June.
When the news of the formation of the team came out, the government’s decision was criticised as it had already been three weeks since it had issued the new political map of the country incorporating the region. The critics said the government should have collected all necessary evidence before issuing the new map.
