India, China should've consulted Nepal: Yechury on trade pact

India and China should have consulted Nepal while agreeing to boost border trade at the Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass, close to an area which Nepal claims to be part of its territory, General Secretary of Communist Party of India-Marxist Sitaram Yechury said today.
The CPI-M General Secretary made the remarks while talking to PTI here, a day after Nepal's Parliament raised serious objection over the agreement signed between India and China during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Beijing last month.
"India and China should have moved ahead with the agreement only after consulting its neighbouring country," he said.
Qiangla/Lipu-Lekh Pass, the last point of Nepal's border with China and India and known as an ancient route for traders and pilgrims transiting between Nepal and Tibet, is a far western point, near Kalapani, which is a disputed border area between Nepal and India.

Raising serious objections, Nepal's Parliament asked both the countries to correct their pact immediately.
Yechury, who arrived here yesterday to hand over Rs 3.25 crore to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund for the earthquake victims, also met with senior leaders of Nepal, including CPN-UML chairman K P Sharma Oli.
During the meeting, Yechury discussed the 16-point agreement forged between Nepal's four major parties on Monday and the latest political developments in the country.
Yechury, was also present during the signing of the 2006 peace accord between the ruling Seven Party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), said he was optimistic that the agreement would result in the long-pending promulgation of the new constitution and bring political stability in Nepal.