From News Dispaches NEW DELHI: The Indian Government will consider the “entire question” raised by Nepal in its latest note on the ongoing rift ‘between the two countries and will communicate its views in due course, an official spokesman said on Friday.

The External Affairs Ministry which received the note on Friday has taken objection at the way the Nepalese Government publicized the note within two hours of handing it over to the Indian Ambassador A.R. Deo on Thursday. An official spokesman said the Ambassador had suggested the Nepalese side consider not making these discussions and exchange of views and communications matters of publicity.

“We agree with our ambassador’s suggestions,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman’s statement and comments by official sources on the note verbal indicated that the chasm between the views of the two governments continues to be wide.

In the note according to informed sources the Nepalese Government has proposed that .the venue for the talks should be Kathmandu, and the talks could be held at the level of foreign ministers in the first week of June or earlier. It says that besides consideration of the drafts of the transit treaty other items of the agenda could be any other matter as mutually agreed upon.

Official sources said the note ‘was made public well before the External Affairs Ministry received it in India. The Government was “surprised and distressed” by this proceeding which is in “ironic contrast” to the repeated protests by the Nepalese Government about leaks from New Delhi, the sources said.

The sources said confidentiality of official communication was an elementary norms in the conduct of international affairs. A breach of this norm indicates lack of serious interest in conducting effecting negotiations they said.

The Indian Government was also “surprised” by the statement of the chief Nepalese spokesman that Nepal had been “forced” to, make these proposals because of serious concern about the hardships faced by the people of Nepal. The sources said India is second to none in its concern for the wellbeing of the people of Nepal, but the statement contrasts strangely with the earlier readiness of Nepal to have talks at any time, place and level, over the gamut of relations.

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 9, 1989