Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali has said that some of the longstanding problems between Nepal and India can be resolved through constant dialogues and cooperation. Minister Gyawali said so while talking to Indian journalists at New Delhi-based Nepali Embassy on Friday morning.

“Our relation is not free of problems and solving them overnight is not possible,” said the minister.

Minister Gyawali also expressed his confidence that the report prepared by Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship and other matters pertaining to bilateral relations between Nepal and India will be implemented soon.

When asked why there has been delay in implementing the single joint report finalised by EPG, the foreign minister said that the report will soon be received by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and will go for implementation.

“The EPG was formed with utmost understanding and discretion to revise Nepal-India relationship in the changed context so as to drive this age-old friendship towards a new avenue,” said the minister, adding, “Therefore, there is no doubt that the report will be implemented.”

Although the EPG finalised the joint report on June 30, the report has been in limbo due to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's failure to allot time to receive the report.

Read: EPG completes its task with single joint report

Minister Gyawali also reiterated Nepal’s stance that as a current chair of Saarc, Nepal is always in favour of advancing the regional cooperation through Saarc and the differences and disputes among the member nations can be resolved through dialogues.

“If American President Donald Trump and North Korea’s supreme leader Kim Jong-un can meet in Singapore, we can pretty much assure that talks can resolve anything,” said Gyawali hinting at the sour relation between India and Pakistan. He said that he had brought up the Saarc issue with Indian External Affairs Sushma Swaraj during a meeting on Thursday.

The 19^th Saarc summit to be hosted by Pakistan on November 2016 could not convene at the last moment due to mutual dispute between India and Pakistan.  The summit’s fate hovers in uncertainty as it has not been held for the past two years.

Gyawali meets Nepali Diaspora at embassy

Meanwhile, Gyawali also held a meeting with Nepali Diaspora at the embassy. He said that Nepali expats living in India had played an important role during the political transitions of Nepal in the past and now the time has come for them to serve the motherland as development partners.

Representatives of various Delhi-based Nepali organisations made the foreign minister aware about various problems faced by Nepali people in different places of India. They drew Gyawali’s attention towards discriminatory treatment of Nepalis in India against the spirit of 1970 Nepal-India Friendship Treaty, difficulty in drawing pensions due to lack of ‘Adhar Card’, excessive telephone  tariff to call Nepal, problematic banking system for money transfer between Nepal and India, among other issues. 

On the issue of Nepali people being looted at Nepal-India border while returning home, Minister Gyawali told the Nepali community that he has raised this issue with Indian side and expected early resolution.

Minister Gyawali arrived in New Delhi on Thursday morning to participate in the fourth edition of Raisina Dialogue as one of the keynote speakers. He is scheduled to return Nepal on Friday evening.