Press Trust of India, 9 November 2016
KATHMANDU:Nepal’s former premier Sher Bahadur Deuba today said the Nepalese government and his party Nepali Congress are “firm” on the “one-China” policy, denying reports that he met Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in India.
Deuba, who returned to Nepal after concluding a three-day visit to India, said this after his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu from New Delhi.
“Tibet is an integral part of People’s Republic of China and personally I am firm on one-China policy,” Deuba said.
The Nepali Congress president expressed his displeasure at media reports in Nepal for “disseminating false reports” about his remarks at an event in Goa organised by India Foundation, a research body focussed on the issues and challenges of the Indian polity.
Some of the Nepalese media had reported that he met the Tibetan exiled leader Dalai Lama during his visit to India.
Deuba claimed that he “had no such meeting with any person that would breach the one-China policy” pursued by Nepal.
The local media had also reported that China was miffed at Deuba following reports that he attended a programme where the exiled Tibetan leader was present.
Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs too has denied the reports in a statement yesterday.
During his India visit, Deuba met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders and officials. He told reporters that his meeting with Modi focused on consolidating bilateral ties and on Nepal’s ongoing post-quake rebuilding efforts.
He said he felt the Indian Prime Minister has a “high goodwill” towards Nepal.
This is Deuba’s first official visit to India after he was elected Nepali Congress chief in March. The visit came at a time when political parties in Nepal have been working to register a Constitution Amendment motion in Parliament to address the demands of Madhesis, mostly of Indian-origin, seeking more representation in Nepalese politics.
Beijing views the Dalai Lama as separatist and aiming to split Tibet from China. It is also opposed to any foreign leaders meeting the Dalai Lama.
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