Nepal's PM Sushil Koirala vows not to sign any agreement with India going against national interest

Nepal's Prime Minister, Sushil Koirala, has said no agreements would be made with India against the nation's interest. The Prime Minister said this in a meeting with a delegation of ten parties at his official residence, Baluwatar, on Thursday.

The 10-party delegation submitted a three-point memorandum to the Prime Minister, reports nepalnews.com. They further asked him not to sign the power trade agreement (PTA) and the project development agreement (PDA) for the Upper Karnali project with India, in haste. Prime Minister Koirala assured the delegation that no agreement would be signed in which Nepal's interest would be compromised, according to Prakash Adhikari, the Prime Minister's media advisor.

PM Koirala said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, during their recent visit to Nepal, in talks with him, said that India wanted to promote its ties with the neighbours on the basis of equality and respect for their sovereignty. The 10-party delegation comprised CPN-Maoist general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa, chairman of the Rastriya Janamorcha Chitra Bahadur KC, CPN (ML) leader Kumar Belbase, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal Rishi Kattel and leaders of other parties.