Nepal rejects third-party mediation with India after row over PM Balen Shah's border remarks

Nepal's foreign minister Shishir Khanal on Wednesday told Parliament that Kathmandu neither supports nor seeks third-party mediation in resolving its border disputes with India.The clarification comes days after Nepal PM Balendra Shah's comments on May 31 sparked criticism from opposition parties and prompted calls for his resignation.The controversy stemmed from reports suggesting that the PM had referred to the possible use of historical records held by countries such as the United Kingdom or China while discussing border-related matters."What I would like to clarify in this esteemed House is that the Nepal-India border is a bilateral issue and Nepal is always committed to resolving this problem through diplomatic dialogue and negotiations based on historical treaties, agreements and maps," he said.According to Khanal, the Nepal-India Boundary Working Group (BWG) and other bilateral bodies have resumed work in areas where progress had been stalled for years.India reiterates no role for third partiesKhanal's statement came after his visit to India from June 5 to 7 and followed a firm response from New Delhi.Earlier this month, Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that boundary issues between India and Nepal are strictly bilateral matters.Jaiswal noted that nearly 98 per cent of the India-Nepal border has already been demarcated, with only a few segments remaining unresolved."There is no role for any third parties in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal," he said, adding that both countries have established mechanisms to address concerns.The long-running dispute between Nepal and India over border territories including Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani has periodically bubbled up over the years.