Kathmandu, October 27
It has come to light that China had expressed its desire to reach a deal with Nepal in India itself, on the sidelines of the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit, which Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ had participated together with China’s President Xi Jinping and India’s PM Narendra Modi.
But, Nepal turned down the Chinese offer and said such a deal can happen only in Kathmandu or Beijing. What kind of deal it was is unclear.
Nepal PM Prachanda talked about this deal at a discussion held with editors at his official residence in Baluwatar on Wednesday evening.
Twelve delegates from Nepal, including PM Prachanda, had held a meeting with around two dozen Chinese officials, including President Xi, in Goa last week.
PM Prachanda said at the meeting that he had requested China’s President Xi to visit Nepal within December this year.
Asked whether you are indeed coming to Nepal, Chinese President replied he will come, which, Prachanda said, found rather abstract.
Prachanda said: When I requested President Xi to visit Nepal this year itself, he said he will indeed come. During an informal meeting, I asked him whether he was really coming and he (President Xi) said: ‘Can’t come this year, let’s make preparations at the start of another year, I will come.
Xi, according to Prachanda, said he can’t come to Nepal in December.
PM Prachanda said Nepal will support Chinese President Xi’s ‘One Belt One Road’ Policy, adding that Nepal should draw benefit form the initiative. Nepal’s political parties do not disagree on this, Prachanda said.
