KATHMANDU: Though the
signing of a new agreement was the ostensible reason for Indian Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Kathmandu on Sunday, the subsequent
flurry of high-level visits made it obvious that Mukherjee, who was in
Nepal in the past as external affairs minister, was assuming the same mantle once more.
The finance minister brought with him New Delhi's message that Nepal should conclude the "remaining aspects" of the peace process, which means discharging the Maoist guerrilla army, promulgating a new constitution and holding general elections. It becomes imperative especially with the Supreme Court warning the government that it should ready a new constitution by May latest or call fresh elections.
Also, in view of the turmoil in South Asia and the upsurge in Maoist violence in India, the Manmohan Singh government is seeking peace and stability in Nepal "in the interest of Nepalis, India and the entire region".
Soon after his arrival, Mukherjee and his Nepali counterpart Barsha Man Pun signed the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), replacing the older one inked in 1987. Mukherjee said the revised DTAA will provide tax stability to the residents of India and Nepal, facilitate mutual economic cooperation and stimulate the flow of investment, technology and services between India and Nepal.
It becomes the 82nd such accord signed by India with other countries. The newly signed agreement also incorporates provisions for effective exchange of information, assistance in collection of taxes between tax authorities and anti-abuse provisions to ensure that genuine residents avail the benefits of the agreement instead of misuse by third-country residents.
It will also allow sharing bank information. The information received can be shared with other law enforcement agencies with the consent of the information supplying country, a vital step to clamp down on trans-border terrorist activities by swooping down on illegal fund-channelling .
Mukherjee, the first senior Indian official to visit Nepal since the formation of a new Maoist-led government earlier this year, also briefed the media about recent bilateral meetings. While the Joint Commission of Water Resources met in New Delhi two days ago, in the pipeline now is the commerce secretaries' meet next month. The two neighbouring countries are also working on dates for meetings of home secretaries and water resources ministers.
Mukherjee said India has sought preliminary inputs from Nepal as a prelude to the review of treaties and agreements to be undertaken by the foreign secretaries. The two governments have agreed that the Bilateral Joint Commission should be convened early to review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, including the requests from Nepal for Indian assistance for implementation of priority development projects.
During his brief but programme-packed day, Mukherjee met Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to brief him on what India was doing to implement the agenda agreed upon during Bhattarai's New Delhi visit last month. He also held consultations with Pun to discuss expanding economic relations between the two countries.
Besides paying a courtesy call on President Ram Baran Yadav, Mukherjee is also meeting political leaders, a role that is usually the foreign minister's. He will meet opposition Nepali Congress chief Sushil Koirala, former Maoist premier Puspha Kamal Dahal Prachanda, communist chief Jhala Nath Khanal and Madhesi leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Gacchadar.
Prachanda declined an invitation to attend a conclave in Bangladesh, which could be construed as a positive sign. In the past, he had been known to leave the country to avoid meeting visiting Indian dignitaries like the then foreign secretary Nirupama Rao.
However, the hawks in the Maoist party continue to provide an irritant to the peace process in Nepal as well as Indo-Nepal relations. Even though the Maoists agreed to return the public properties they had captured during their decade-old "People's War", the hawks began capturing the released land immediately.
Also, coinciding with Mukherjee's visit, the hawks called a meet in Kathmandu to flay the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Act that Bhattarai had signed in India in October.
The finance minister brought with him New Delhi's message that Nepal should conclude the "remaining aspects" of the peace process, which means discharging the Maoist guerrilla army, promulgating a new constitution and holding general elections. It becomes imperative especially with the Supreme Court warning the government that it should ready a new constitution by May latest or call fresh elections.
Also, in view of the turmoil in South Asia and the upsurge in Maoist violence in India, the Manmohan Singh government is seeking peace and stability in Nepal "in the interest of Nepalis, India and the entire region".
Soon after his arrival, Mukherjee and his Nepali counterpart Barsha Man Pun signed the Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA), replacing the older one inked in 1987. Mukherjee said the revised DTAA will provide tax stability to the residents of India and Nepal, facilitate mutual economic cooperation and stimulate the flow of investment, technology and services between India and Nepal.
It becomes the 82nd such accord signed by India with other countries. The newly signed agreement also incorporates provisions for effective exchange of information, assistance in collection of taxes between tax authorities and anti-abuse provisions to ensure that genuine residents avail the benefits of the agreement instead of misuse by third-country residents.
It will also allow sharing bank information. The information received can be shared with other law enforcement agencies with the consent of the information supplying country, a vital step to clamp down on trans-border terrorist activities by swooping down on illegal fund-channelling .
Mukherjee, the first senior Indian official to visit Nepal since the formation of a new Maoist-led government earlier this year, also briefed the media about recent bilateral meetings. While the Joint Commission of Water Resources met in New Delhi two days ago, in the pipeline now is the commerce secretaries' meet next month. The two neighbouring countries are also working on dates for meetings of home secretaries and water resources ministers.
Mukherjee said India has sought preliminary inputs from Nepal as a prelude to the review of treaties and agreements to be undertaken by the foreign secretaries. The two governments have agreed that the Bilateral Joint Commission should be convened early to review the entire gamut of the bilateral relationship, including the requests from Nepal for Indian assistance for implementation of priority development projects.
During his brief but programme-packed day, Mukherjee met Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to brief him on what India was doing to implement the agenda agreed upon during Bhattarai's New Delhi visit last month. He also held consultations with Pun to discuss expanding economic relations between the two countries.
Besides paying a courtesy call on President Ram Baran Yadav, Mukherjee is also meeting political leaders, a role that is usually the foreign minister's. He will meet opposition Nepali Congress chief Sushil Koirala, former Maoist premier Puspha Kamal Dahal Prachanda, communist chief Jhala Nath Khanal and Madhesi leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bijay Gacchadar.
Prachanda declined an invitation to attend a conclave in Bangladesh, which could be construed as a positive sign. In the past, he had been known to leave the country to avoid meeting visiting Indian dignitaries like the then foreign secretary Nirupama Rao.
However, the hawks in the Maoist party continue to provide an irritant to the peace process in Nepal as well as Indo-Nepal relations. Even though the Maoists agreed to return the public properties they had captured during their decade-old "People's War", the hawks began capturing the released land immediately.
Also, coinciding with Mukherjee's visit, the hawks called a meet in Kathmandu to flay the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Act that Bhattarai had signed in India in October.
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