Lawmakers demand for accurate update on GSI

Kathmandu, Sept 3: In today's meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR), lawmakers have demanded accurate update about Nepal's alleged agreement on China's proposed 'Global Security Initiative' (GSI) and 'Global Civilization Initiative' (GCI).     

Following Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's visit to China and his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, lawmakers have called for information to the house regarding the claims made by China through a statement issued by its foreign ministry. During the special hour of the meeting, both ruling and opposition lawmakers insisted that the Prime Minister and the Foreign Ministry should respond before the house on this matter.     

The MPs were of the view that it was positive to clearly raise that 'the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani areas are part of Nepal's sovereign territory'. They however urged the Prime Minister to clarify before the House about the stance of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, which stated that Nepal had agreed to security strategies and military cooperation.     

Nepali Congress MP Dilendra Prasad Badu remarked that it was positive to raise the issue of Lipulekh in the meeting between Prime Minister Oli and Chinese President Xi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit. He noted that Prime Minister Oli's statement to the Chinese President regarding the agreement between India and China to create a trade route in that area, which Nepal does not accept, was positive.     

"After Prime Minister Oli’s meeting with the Chinese President, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement claiming that Nepal has supported the security strategy, GSI. Given that Nepal has not been associated with any security or military strategies and is following a non-aligned foreign policy, this cannot be accepted," lawmaker said. "If Nepal engages in any security or military strategy, there is a risk of falling into a security trap. Acceptance of GSI is objectionable for Nepal. Therefore, the Prime Minister must respond to this issue in Parliament."     

He also demanded information about whether any discussions took place regarding Nepalis who were illegally recruited into the Russian military during Prime Minister Oli's meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.     

CPN (UML) MP Juli Kumari Mahato (Mahaseth) said that Nepal has expressed its opposition to the agreement between China and India to open a trade route from the integral territory of Nepal, Lipulekh, adding that this issue was raised clearly during Prime Minister Oli's visit to China. She believes that Prime Minister Oli's visit was successful both politically and diplomatically.     

Meanwhile, CPN (Maoist Centre) MP Lekhnath Dahal mentioned that Nepal did not manage to demonstrate its diplomatic competencies at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.     

He argued that the entire country must stand united in foreign affairs and argued that no individual should make rash decisions. Dahal emphasized that Parliament should protest against the agreement made by India and China to use the Lipulekh area for trade without Nepal's consent, and that the government should express its disagreement through a decision made by the Council of Ministers.     

Similarly, Janata Samajwadi Party MP Ranju Kumari Jha raised the issue of the ongoing scarcity of drinking water in the Tarai Madhes areas. She also questioned how long farmers would have to continue to suffer. MP Jha believed that the state should not neglect farmers.     

Abdul Khan, MP from Janamat Party, stated that the issues concerning sugarcane and dairy farmers need to be resolved through discussion soon. He emphasized that the government needs to be serious in addressing these problems as there are ongoing movements by scrap dealers, relief quota teachers, cooperatives' and microfinance victims.(RSS)