As India raised concerns over large scale smuggling of counterfeit currency from Nepal, the two countries agreed to step up vigilance on the border.
As India raised concerns over large scale smuggling of counterfeit currency from Nepal, the two countries today agreed to step up vigilance on the border what would also help combat terrorist activities and human trafficking.
At the home secretary-level talks concluding here today, Nepal and India also inched closer to an extradition treaty.
At the the two-day meeting between the Indian side led by home secretary Gopal K Pillai and the Nepalese side headed by Govinda Kusum, both reiterated their commitment to not allow their territories to be used for activities against the other, said a statement.
Both sides also discussed the security situation in South Asia and ways to check cross-border criminal activities, Kusum told reporters.
The two sides also agreed to hold meeting of the Joint Working Group of Border Management in the first quarter of next year and step up cooperation to prevent smuggling of fake currency, human trafficking and terrorist activities.
"The talks were very fruitful and both sides agreed to continue cooperation in security matters, border management and maintaining peace and security," said Pillai.
On the extradition treaty, he said it is passing through various processes and there is a need for high level political discussion before initialling it between two home ministers.
"There are no differences as regards the draft of the treaty," Pillai said in a question.
Nepal and India signed in a draft of the extradition treaty at home secretary level in January 2005.
Replying to a question, Pillai said no discussion was held on the issue of Maoists in India and their links with their Nepalese counterparts during the talks.
Admitting that the Maoists in India and Nepal were in touch, he however said there were no similarities between their ideologies, pointing out that while Nepalese Maoists had adopted parliamentary democracy, those in India were still involved in armed activities.
On the question of arms smuggling between the two countries, Pillai said, "No evidence has been found regarding supplying arms from one group to the other".
Nepal and India are friendly countries committed not to let their territories be used against each other, Kusum said.
Officials said the two sides also discussed the issue of providing training to the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force.
During prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's visit to India three months back, India had agreed to provide Rs200 crore to build a Police Academy in Panauti in east Kathmandu.
A Memorandum of Understanding will be signed during the joint secretary level meeting in November, officials said.
The two sides reviewed the progress in implementation of the decisions taken at the previous meetings and expressed satisfaction over the results achieved so far.
Home secretary Pillai met prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and home minister Bhim Bahadur Rawal yesterday and discussed the security situation and ways to control criminal activities in the border areas, officials said.
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