Beijing, Aug 31: China has made it clear that it does not want to take sides in the Lipulekh border dispute.
Border expert Shrestha proposes tri-junction points to resolve...
According to Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, during his meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Chinese President Xi Jinping said the issue should be resolved bilaterally between Nepal and India.
After the talks, Secretary Rai said Prime Minister Oli firmly raised the Lipulekh issue. “The Sugauli Treaty of 1816 defined Nepal’s boundary. All areas east of the Mahakali fall within Nepal. The Prime Minister clearly expressed Nepal’s objection to the India-China agreement that allows use of that area,” Rai quoted Oli as saying.
In response, Xi clarified that China would not weaken Nepal’s claim but also would not take sides. Rai said, “The President’s remarks were that Nepal’s claim is not diminished or compromised by us. The passage has been used traditionally, but regarding your boundary dispute, we do not want to be a party. It is for you two sides to resolve.”
Prime Minister Oli is in China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The two leaders also discussed other aspects of Nepal-China relations during the meeting.
