Kathmandu [Nepal], February 28 : Nepal's Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka 'Prachanda' on Wednesday confirmed that preparations are in progress to receive the report from the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) on Nepal-India relations.
Responding to queries raised by members of the National Concern and Coordination Committee under the National Assembly, the Prime Minister stated that internal preparations have been initiated to coordinate the simultaneous reception of reports from both countries.
"EPG was formed in coordination between the two countries and has been prepared accordingly. Both the governments will receive it and announce it as it shows the continued coordination, the preparations are progressing with both sides doing their homework," Nepali Prime Minister Dahal said.
The EPG was established by the governments of both countries to review and assess past agreements between Nepal and India.
In 2011-2013, then Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai also the Prime Minister back then floated the idea of forming a group of noted personalities from both the countries to review the bilateral ties and make recommendations in the form of a joint report. Bhattarai had floated the proposal to then Prime Minister and Indian Congress leader Manmohan Singh.
Nilamber Acharya, former ambassador to India; Rajan Bhattarai, former foreign relations adviser to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli; and Surya Nath Upadhyay, former chief commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, were appointed members from the Nepali side in the EPG group. The Indian side was led by Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, a BJP leader, with Jayant Prasad, former Indian ambassador to Nepal, Mahendra P Lama, a university professor, and BC Upreti, a scholar, as member.
The EPG finalised its report in the first week of July 2018 and sought time from the prime ministers of Nepal and India to submit it. The bilateral mechanism was mandated to review Nepal-India ties in totality and make recommendations, but it was made clear in the terms of reference that its suggestions would not be binding.
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