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Seal on extradition treaty unlikely during Krishna’s Nepal visit
India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna will undertake a three-day visit to Nepal starting January 15. But the pending extradition treaty between the neighbours is unlikely to get signed during the trip.
India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna will undertake a three-day visit to Nepal starting January 15. But the pending extradition treaty between the neighbours is unlikely to get signed during the trip.
Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala has stated that the treaty, which has been in the pipeline since 2005, will not get signed during Krishna’s visit to the Himalayan nation.
“It seems unlikely. First we will have to get it approved by all parties in the ruling coalition, table it in parliament and get it passed before the treaty can be signed,” said Koirala, who is also Nepal’s foreign minister.
Krishna’s predecessor Pranab Mukherjee during his Nepal visit in November 2008 had stated that work on the extradition treaty is being expedited and the two countries would sign it soon.
Six months later, the Maoist-led government in Nepal stepped down and the process didn’t pick up steam. It was again discussed during Koirala’s India visit in August last year when Indian impressed upon the need to sign the treaty to curb cross-border crime.
The matter was brought up during the home secretary level talks between both countries held here in November last year. But it was again relegated to the background as Nepal sought more time.
India is keen on getting the treaty signed soon in order to lay hand on criminals and terrorists who are using Nepal as a transit point to spread terror and transport fake currency.
