Nepal could be link between India, China: Former Nepal PM

Former Nepali prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Friday said his country could use its advantageous proximity to India and China to provide transit facilities, and stressed that the Himalayan nation would never allow itself to be used by "inimical elements" for terrorism or other activities.

Delivering the seventh Sapru House lecture at the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA) here, Nepal also tentatively backed a trilateral partnership between India, China and Nepal, proposed by another former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda', but said such a partnership could take place only if all three parties concurred.

The former prime minister, who has met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said Nepal values its ties with India, which are based on warmth, friendship, goodwill and cooperation and the relationship has to be taken to new heights.

Nepal is here on a five-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Invoking the cooperation between East Asian countries to come up with the concept of setting up the Nalanda University in Bihar, Nepal said if several countries can work together for setting up the university, so can his country also act as a link between India and China.

"Nepal should gain from this, but all should see the possibility if they will gain from it," he said, referring to the trilateral partnership.

He said the proposed partnership, which Prachanda has broached with China and with India, would help boost economic prosperity.

A rail link through Nepal would help reduce distances between the three countries, he noted.

"It is not a long way to China. It can be through Nepal. I am worried if Bhutan can provide the road link to China, then why not Nepal?"

On not allowing Nepalese soil to be used for any inimical activities, he said the Nepalese border is very porous.

"We have to keep sensitivities of neighbouring countries in mind" like not allowing terrorist activities or fake currency, which is the concern of India, and activities of Tibetans, which China is concerned about.

Likewise, he said neighbours should also reciprocate by keeping Nepal's sensitivities in mind.

He also said Nepal was for boosting cooperation with India in hydropower and would hold more interactions with the people to remove their misgivings.

The former prime minister said some parties were creating disturbances with regard to Indian infrastructure major GMR's project in Nepal, which "is not good".

"The delay (in completing) will mean more money, and increase the cost of electricity. We have seen how Bhutan has developed its hydropower. We don't want any more disturbances. We have to have more interactions with people and parties and convey that our interest will not be compromised and we stand to gain," he said.

GMR Energy is developing a 300 MW hydropower plant at Karnali in Dailekh district of Nepal.