Kathmandu, April 26
The ninth meeting of Nepal-India bilateral consultative groups on security issues kicked off in Pokhara on Thursday.
The two-day consultative meeting is likely to seek military cooperation and logistical supports from Indian government, an official at the Ministry of Defence said on condition of anonymity.
During his Kathmandu visit on April 4 to attend NA’s special function, Indian Army Chief Vijay Kumar Singh had said that the Indian Army was ready to provide any support to strengthen NA.
The security meeting is likely to come up with agreement for providing necessary logistics to the newly proposed directorate of NA which will come into shape after the integration of the Maoists combatants, said the source.
Joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Deepak Dhital is heading an 18-member Nepalese team, while joint secretary Akhilesh Mishra of the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is heading nine-member delegation.
The teams from both the countries arrived in Pokhara on Thursday. The officials reached Pokhara by a Nepal Army helicopter.
The meeting is also attended by officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Home Affairs, Defence and security heads of the regional police and armed police force.
Shankar Prasad Koirala, secretary and spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the meeting is likely to seek financial assistance to buy some vehicles for NA.
Meanwhile, our Pokhara correspondent Ramesh Poudel adds that the meeting would basically focus to reduce problems regarding trans-border movement, border security, crime control and controlling the smuggling of counterfeit Indian currency via Nepal-Indian border.
The meeting will also discuss the increased role of Armed Police Force to curb criminal activities in the border areas.
The security of the meeting is managed by Nepal Army personnel. Media persons and other general publics were restricted to enter the meeting site.
After repeated requests, joint secretary Dhital informed that the detailed outcome of the meeting would be made available only on Saturday.
Prior to this, a similar meeting was organized at Pune, India.
