Thursday, June 20, 2019

China wants some concerns to be addressed before cross-border railway DPR talks

China has sought clarity on five basic issues ahead of Detail Project Report (DPR) for the Kerung-Kathmandu railway, during the fourth Nepal-China bilateral meeting that concluded today in Beijing without entering the agenda of the DPR.
Chinese officials asked the Nepali side to first meet the standards set by a pre-feasibility study for the project. Chinese officials at the meet pointed out the need for further technical study of the report, it had prepared earlier conducting a pre-feasibility study and submitted to the Nepal government.
Likewise, the Chinese officials asked for preparations to tackle the engineering challenges that may arise in future, and sought an in-depth study on minimizing possible geological disaster. The Chinese side also showed concern about measures to be taken to ensure the security of the railway system, apart from the need for a scientific study to minimize ecological impact in the affected areas.
China will enter into the matter of the feasibility study – also called the DPR – only after settling the the concerns it showed during the meeting, according to a participants in the meeting, though deputy chief of Mission at the Nepal Embassy in Beijing Sushil Kumar Lamsal claimed that both sides were encouraged by the output of the bilateral talks.
The Nepali team – led by secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Karki for the fourth meeting in Beijing held the discussion with the Chinese team – led by deputy administrator of China's National Rail Administration An Lu Shan – agreed to hold fifth meeting in Kathmandu in December. The meeting might enter into the feasibility study, only if work Nepal addresses the five-point concern raised by Beijing, according to the Nepali teammates.
The Nepal-China railway mechanism was established two years ago. Its first meeting was held in November 2017 in Kathmandu, whereas the second meeting was held in Beijing and the third again in Kathmandu followed by the current meeting, the fourth one in Beijing.
The fifth meeting will be held in Kathmandu in December..

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