Nepal's major opposition party urges gov't to focus on implementation of bilateral deals

The CPN (UML), the main opposition in the Nepalese Parliament, on Sunday urged the government to focus on the implementation of bilateral agreements signed with China and India in the erstwhile K.P Sharma Oli-led government.

Speaking at a parliament session on behalf of his party, CPN (UML) parliamentarian Keshav Badal asked the government to implement a number of bilateral agreements reached with neighboring countries during the then prime minister's visits.

"The incumbent government should work toward enhancing bilateral relationship with neighboring countries and for this, implementation of the bilateral agreements reached with China and India will be crucial. Our party strongly suggests the government to implement those bilateral deals reached with both neighbors," he said.

Parliamentarian Badal also said that the government should closely work with China for effective implementation of the Transit Transport Agreement signed with China.

"At the same time, the government should work toward implementing a deal with southern neighbor India to utilize the Visakhapatnam Port of India," he said.

Welcoming the government's decision to send special envoys to China and India to strengthen bilateral ties, the CPN (UML) said that the special envoys should seize the opportunity to discuss with the authorities of both countries the implementation of bilateral deals.

The Nepalese government on Thursday decided to send two deputy prime ministers as special envoys of the government to China and India, respectively.

As per the decision, Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara is leaving for China on Monday where he will hold high level meetings with Chinese officials, according to his media advisor Triibhuwan Poudel.

Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister Bimalendra Nidhi will be traveling to India later this week to hold talks with Indian authorities.

Deputy Prime Minister Mahara, who belongs to the CPN (Maoist Center) party, is in charge of finance of the government, while another Deputy Prime Minister Nidhi, a leader from the Nepali Congress, is overseeing home affairs in the Dahal-led new coalition government that came to power on Aug. 3. Endit