-Says trilateral meet a rare opportunity for Nepal
-Dahal-Modi agree on time-bound implementation of joint projects
-Dahal-Xi underscore full-fledged implementation of past pacts
KATHMANDU, Oct 18: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have pledged their full support in implementing Nepal's new constitution, concluding the remaining tasks of the peace process, and taking the ongoing political course to a logical end.
Dahal said that receiving such wholehearted support from two top leaders of both neighboring countries at a trilateral meeting was a rare opportunity for a country like Nepal.
"It is no ordinary matter to get such commitment from two powerful international leaders and that too at a single sitting. I was seated in between the two leaders and both of them assured me of their full support for Nepal's entire political process, constitution implementation and the peace process," Dahal told reporters upon arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport on Monday after completing a four-day visit to Goa. "Such a coincidence is rare and I have utilized the opportunity in the utmost interest of Nepal."
Dahal attended the Goa BRICS-BIMSPEC Outreach Summit held in the Indian tourist-hub city and had several bilateral and multilateral meetings on the sidelines.
Dahal claimed that during his meetings and interactions with the Indian and Chinese top leaders, they expressed their full support for Nepal's constitution implementation process and the efforts made by Nepal's political leadership to settle the political issues.
Let’s live in peace and embrace diversity
"Since they have expressed their full support for the ongoing constitution implementation process and have welcomed these efforts, there is no point in further questioning whether or not they have welcomed our constitution," he said.
Prime Minister Dahal said that they held very frank, direct and intimate discussions among the three leaders during the informal meeting that, according to him, happened by coincidence.
As there are speculations as to how the three top leaders happened to meet in such an unplanned fashion, Dahal explained at length how the encounter came about.
"Immediately after completing the formal meeting with the Chinese president, I entered the special waiting lounge as the aisles were not yet clear for movement. Suddenly, the Chinese president also entered the same lounge," Dahal said describing the situation. "It was like an unexpected bonanza for me because it offered me a chance to hold an informal and heart-to-heart conversation with him." During the "very frank and candid talks" Dahal requested Xi to visit Nepal and the president expressed his willingness to do so at an immediate possible date.
Meanwhile, he said, Modi also entered the same hall. "Suddenly the meeting turned into a meeting of the three leaders."
"It was such a coincidence, with Chinese President Xi sitting on the north side while Modiji was at the southern point and I myself in the center, which was just like the geographical location of the three countries," he said. "I began the conversation candidly from that same perspective."
Dahal said he expressed Nepal's eagerness to benefit from the markets of the two huge countries.
"I then expressed Nepal's willingness to promote trilateral cooperation between the three countries that would help Nepal benefit from their [India and China's] economic progress," he said. "I also reiterated that the Buddha, Janaki and Pashupati are some of the cultural factors that have been uniting the three countries while modern technology can be a new feature for further cementing the unity."
Dahal also informed that during different bilateral meetings with top leaders from various countries at the Summit, he brought up various proposals with the leaders.
He said that he and the Indian prime minister have agreed to expedite work for effective and time-bound implementation of projects to be constructed jointly by Nepal and India.
They also agreed to constitute a mechanism comprising representatives from both sides as agreed during his visit to India last month.
Similarly, Dahal and President Xi underscored the need of bringing the bilateral agreements and understandings reached in the past into full-fledged implementation.
During his meeting with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, the two sides agreed to promote cultural interactions and increase air connectivity between the two South Asian countries.
Likewise, during a meeting with his Bhutanese counterpart Tshering Tobgay, Dahal reiterated that the issue of Bhutanese refugees, who have been staying in the eastern part of Nepal for nearly three decades, should be resolved soon.
