New Delhi, Sept 15: Stability in Nepal will not
only help the people of that country but also India, senior
BJP leader L K Advani said on Monday.
Advani met Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' this
morning, who is on his maiden visit to New Delhi after
assuming the post of Prime Minister of Nepal.
"We held discussions on several issues...I hope the
deep cultural and political relations between India and Nepal
shared for centuries will continue," Advani told reporters
after the meeting.
The Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha claimed that
while India had friendly relations with several countries, New
Delhi's relations with Kathmandu were "unparalleled."
He said a stable government in Nepal was a good for
both the countries.
The BJP leader, however, did not say whether the issue
of Kosi river treaty came up for discussions. Recently, Advani
had asked the Prime Minister to review the 1954 treaty to
check recurrence of floods in Bihar.
"The amendment in the treaty would help Nepal with hydro
power and provide India safety from floods," he had said.
During official discussions, India and Nepal will also
discuss the 1954 Kosi River agreement, which governs usage of
the water of the common river which flows into India from
Nepal.
A breach in the embankment of the river in Nepal
recently caused devastating floods in Bihar, prompting calls
in India that the treaty needed to be implemented properly so
that such calamities are averted.
Under the Kosi treaty, which provides for flood control,
irrigation management and hydro-power generation, the Bihar
government has been entrusted with the task of managing river
Kosi for 199 years -- till 2153.
Bureau Report
