Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali has conceded that the government was aware of the Indian construction of road to Mansarovar of China through Lipu Lekh.
Minister Gyawali said so answering questions raised by different lawmakers during the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting on Sunday. "There is no way the government would not know about this construction," he quipped.
He revealed that India prepared the plan for road in 2005 and started construction in 2008 before intensifying the works from 2014.
He assured that the government is taking initiative for return of the encroached land and briefed the House about the government initiatives.
He assured that the government will take uncomprising stand to resolve the border dispute with India. "We want diplomatic resolution to the problem. We will take uncomprising stand while also maintaining the relation and friendship of good neighbor.
He also thanked all the political parties for talking about national interest after border encroachment and Indian construction of road in Nepali territory. "This has propped up the government. The whole country is united on this issue."
He lamented the Indian act that raises questions about sensitivity of the neighbor at the time of crisis for humanity due to COVID-19.
Inauguration of the Indian road via Lipu Lekh on Friday has been widely criticized in the country.
Nepal has consistently maintained that as per the Sugauli Treaty (1816), all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal.
Nepal had also expressed its disagreement in 2015 through separate diplomatic notes addressed to the governments of both India and China when the two sides agreed to include Lipu Lekh Pass as a bilateral trade route without Nepal’s consent in the Joint Statement issued on 15 May 2015 during the official visit of the Prime Minister of India to China.
