By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 9: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Sing Puri has said that the chemistry between the prime ministers of Nepal and India KP Sharma Oli and Narendra Modi would be instrumental in resolving the issues between the two countries, including the border disputes.
Talking with The Rising Nepal in an exclusive interview, he said that 98 per cent issues between the two countries were resolved with bilateral dialogues.
"That 98 per cent should be worked on to be made 99 and 100. That’s my understanding but sometimes things need greater time and understanding because, as I said, we have all legalities," he said.
Puri expressed his confidence that as the people and government on both sides had always shown a will to sit down together, talk and find the solution, Nepal and India would find solutions to all the current issues.
However, he maintained that the map was about the changes of situation of state in India, it has nothing to do with India's external boundaries, including Nepal or any other.
"The exact same boundary is there in all the maps before. I believe there can be all kinds of issues if you have 1800 km of border - an open border which we have in inheritance," he said, "If we have some issues, we need to discuss them, and I am sure we have been discussing them."
He also warned that both the countries must be careful about these sorts of things do not give any opportunity for anyone else.
Ambassador Puri said that the increased bilateral visits from both the countries could speak the level of relationship between Nepal and India.
"There should be something that PM Modi visited Nepal four times which is the highest number in any regard. Nepal has also reciprocated the visits with PM Oli visiting twice, Sher Bahadur Deuba once and President Bidya Devi Bhandari once. We have multiple high-level interactions between the ministers and secretaries," he said.
According to him, it shows that there is a high-level commitment from both sides in taking the bilateral relationship to new heights and resolve the pending as well as emerging issues. The two neighbours have built a partnership which should be taken forward carefully.
Puri recommended Nepal increasing interaction with the Indian economy as the 2.5 trillion dollars economy aims to be a 5 trillion dollars in the next five years, and businesspeople, economists and the government of Nepal know the Indian economy better than anyone else.
He appreciated PM Oli's dream to develop agriculture sector in the country and use inland waterways for the third country trade and develop railway projects across the country.
"We are developing Ganges as the major waterways in India which will help Nepal carry goods from Kolkata to nearby border at a minimal cost. It’s a good feeling," said Puri.