Nepal-India EPG’s third meeting continues

By Our Reporter The third meeting of Nepal-Indi Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) kicked off here Wednesday. The meeting which was initially scheduled to be held in Pokhara from December 22 was cancelled due to elections in India. The meeting was rescheduled from March 18 in Kathmandu, but was again cancelled as the Indian side said their representatives were unable to attend it. Cancelled twice, the meeting of the EPG that was formed to facilitate Nepal-India relations in the aftermath of the unofficial blockade imposed by India in 2015 to look over existing treaties and agreements and evaluate them if they need revision, is said to be  discussing the agenda of reviewing the Nepal-India friendship Treaty of 150, existing trade regime and cooperation in sharing water resources among others. The EPG meeting that should have taken place every three months in Nepal and India alternatively has taken place at the interval of over seven months. The first EPG meeting was held in Kathmandu in July last year, and the second meeting in New Delhi from October 4 to 5, 2016. The EPG includes Bhesh Bahadur Thapa, Nilambar Acharya,  Rajan Bhattarai and Surya Nath Upadhyaya as members from Nepali side while from the Indian side are Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, Jayant Prasad, Professor BC Upreti and Professor Mahendra P Lama.