"Claim of unilateral, artificial enlargement not correct": India reiterates position of Lipulekh

New Delhi [India], May 7 : India on Thursday reiterated its position regarding Lipulekh and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and slammed the claims of Nepal, calling the unilateral and artificial enlargement incorrect.

The Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while responding to a query on Nepal's reservations over Lipulekh, recalled the previously issued statement and told the media, "Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been happening since 1954 through this route. This is not new. So that is where it is. It is not a new development, and I would refer you for more details to the statement that we've issued. We have clearly stated in our statement that the claim of unilateral and artificial enlargement is not correct."

Speaking about other areas of discussion between India and Nepal, Jaiswal said that New Delhi is ready for discussions.

"If there are boundary issues, we are ready to discuss them as well. But making a unilateral claim is not the right way."

When asked about the credibility of media reports suggesting of a Government-to-Government agreement on fertilisers that was made with India by Nepal, Jaiswal informed, "India and Nepal have multi-dimensional relations. Exchanges between the two countries are ongoing. Recently, there was talk about oil; under the cooperation agreement, energy is being provided to them. For fertilisers too, since we have close relations, we want to strengthen them further and will fulfil the required supply."

India on Sunday rejected Nepal's recent territorial claims over Lipulekh Pass, terming the unilateral artificial enlargement as "untenable" as Kathmandu objected to the Kailash Mansarovar route being undertaken through the region.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to media queries regarding comments made by the Foreign Ministry of Nepal on the border issue in the context of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra that India's position in this regard had been consistent and clear.

Jaiswal further said that with regards territorial claims, India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based on historical facts and evidence. "Such unilateral artificial enlargement of territorial claims is untenable."

He said that India remains open to constructive interaction with Nepal on all issues of the bilateral ties.

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