India, Nepal sort out defence issues

New Delhi, Jun 9: India and Nepal today ''sorted out'' issues relating to defence cooperation and agreed to discuss the resumption of military supplies by New Delhi to Kathmandu in greater detail at a Joint Committee Meeting later this year.

''All issues relating to defence cooperation have been sorted out,'' Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told mediapersons after his meeting with visiting Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, whose four-day India visit ends today.

''Very soon, our Defence Cooperation Group, the Joint Consultative Committee, which is an institutional arrangement, will be meeting and they will be discussing the expanding areas of cooperation,'' the Minister said.

India suspended military assistance to Nepal last year after a February 1 royal coup by King Gyanendra. Subsequently, it resumed non-lethal military supplies in small measure. New Delhi has, however, conveyed to Kathmandu it is ready to consider the resumption of full military supplies if the latter asks for it.

Minister Mukherjee also reiterated India's support for peace negotiations between the new Nepali government and Maoist rebels.

''We welcome the process of consolidation of democratic forces in Nepal. They (the Nepali government) are engaged in talks (with Maoists) and we hope they would find an amicable solution,'' he said.

The meeting with Defence Minister Mukherjee was the last official engagement of the Nepali Premier as he wrapped up a four-day visit to India that started on Tuesday evening with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in a departure from protocol, going personally to receive the Nepali PM.

UNI