Nepal welcomes India's statement, says such gestures important

KATHMANDU: Welcoming India's statement on its efforts to break deadlock with the Madhesis as "positive", Nepal today said it believes such gestures would help in normalising the situation and restoring the supply system across the Indo-Nepal border.

"The statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry of India on Monday was positive and encouraging," the Nepalese Foreign Ministry said in statement.

"The government believes that these positive gestures from the friendly neighbour would be instrumental in normalising the existing situation as well as restoring normalcy of supply system across Nepal-India border," the statement said.

Nepal yesterday informed India that some important decisions had been taken to resolve demands raised by agitating Madhes-based parties regarding the Constitution.

These decisions included amendments to the Constitution on participation in the state organs on the basis of proportionate inclusiveness and delineation of electoral constituencies on the basis of population.

In a statement, External Affairs Ministry had said as a neighbour and well-wisher, India was deeply concerned over the unrest stemming from internal differences in Nepal on the Constitution.

"Government of India welcomes these developments as positive steps that help create the basis for a resolution of the current impasse in Nepal. As a neighbour and well-wisher, India was deeply concerned at the unrest stemming from internal differences in Nepal on the Constitution," the statement had said.

"We urge all Nepali political forces to now demonstrate the necessary maturity and flexibility to find a satisfactory solution to the Constitutional issues through constructive dialogue in an agreed timeframe," it said.

However, the Madhes-based parties rejected the government proposals today.

The agitating Madhes-based parties have been protesting for over four months against the seven-province model proposed in the new Constitution adopted on September 20 that divides their ancestral land as a way to politically marginalise them. Over 50 people have been killed in protests by Madhesis since August.

The Madhesi parties have blockaded Nepal's border trade points with India, causing a shortage of essential goods and medicines in the landlocked Himalayan country.