Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said that the Nepal government is going to hold a diplomatic dialogue not only with neighboring India and China but also with the United Kingdom (UK) to resolve the long-standing territorial dispute over Kalapani, Limpiyadhura, and Lipulekh Pass.
Responding to questions raised by CPN-UML Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader Padma Aryal during a House of Representatives meeting regarding a bilateral trade route built through the Lipulekh Pass by India and China today, Prime Minister Shah clarified that national sovereignty and territorial integrity remain the government's top priority.
He further said that Nepal has already dispatched a diplomatic note to India, which resulted in a mutual proposal to initiate formal talks involving historians, surveyors, and boundary experts to study the territorial matters thoroughly.
"The Government of Nepal has formally dispatched a diplomatic note to the Government of India regarding this matter, and a response has been received. In response, India proposed that both nations resolve the issue through bilateral talks, utilizing a joint panel of historians, surveyors, and geographic experts," said Prime Minister Shah.
According to the Prime Minister's secretariat, the government has requested cooperation from the British government, during a recently held bilateral meeting with the British Ambassador to Nepal, Rob Fenn, in sorting out the existing border dispute.
Asserting that the geopolitical issue has persisted ever since the British left South Asia, Prime Minister Shah emphasized that the UK government holds a historical stake in the matter.
"Given that this territorial dispute traces back to the departure of the British from India, we have engaged not only with India and China but also with the Government of the United Kingdom, as, we believe, the UK holds a historical stake in this matter," said Prime Minister Shah.
By involving the UK alongside India and China, the Balen administration aims to leverage historical records and international diplomacy to secure a peaceful, expert-level resolution that firmly protects Nepal's mapped territory.
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