The Nepal government has proposed formation of a four-member Eminent Persons’ Group to review the existing bilateral agreements with India including the strategic Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1950. This was announced by Nepalese Minister for Information and Communication Sherdhan Rai yesterday.
He added that the next cabinet meeting will take a formal decision in this regard. The EPG will be authorised to look into the entire gamut of Nepal-India relations. It will get two years to come up with a comprehensive report on anything that needs to be amended in all bilateral treaties.
The 1950 India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship allows free movement of people and goods between the two nations and a close relationship and collaboration on matters of defense and foreign policy. The proposal to form the EPG comes as the government prepares for Prime Minister’s visit to India scheduled for the second week of February.
The Third Joint Commission Meeting of Nepal and India in July 2014 had decided to set up the EPG with four members from each side at the request of Nepal. It is learnt that India has already formed a four member EPG.