Kathmandu: Angry over Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's remarks pledging to "protect" Nepalese sovereignty, country's former top diplomat has slammed the Maoists led government and asked it to clarify its stand on relationship with Beijing.
Yang, who left Kathmandu yesterday after a three-day official visit, had said: "China will protect Nepal's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence." Nepali Congress lawmaker and former foreign minister Ram Sharan Mahat raised the issue in Parliament (Constituent Assembly) meeting yesterday and asked "whether China would have to protect Nepal's sovereignty or we ourselves should protect the sovereignty and independence?"
The Maoists government has increased its proximity with the Chinese government in recent times. A Chinese military delegation visited Nepal before the visit of Yang and another Chinese military delegation led by its deputy army chief is coming to Nepal soon. The Nepal's relationship with India also came up for discussion during yesterday s meeting. The CPN-UML alleged that India had encroached border at 54 different places and 40,000 hectares of Nepalese land has been occupied. It asked the government to form a special committee comprising Lawmakers to investigate into the matter.
