KATHMANDU: Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa has asserted the need to hold talks with neighbouring China regarding the road built by India leading up to Mansarovar via Nepal's territory Lipulekh.

Bilateral relations between Nepal and India has strained following India's defence minister Raj Nath Singh inaugurating the 80-km link road through video conferencing on Friday.

Taking part in today’s meeting of the federal parliament’s State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, Minister Thapa said that the issues should be addressed through trilateral talks including China.

“The newly inaugurated road is built for trade purpose. The move of Nepal would yield success if Nepal holds trilateral talks and bars the use of Lipulekh Pass,” Thapa said.

Parliamentarians have outlined the need to hold talks with the UK government regarding the territories as they argue that the Sugauli Treaty was signed between Nepal and UK in 1816 to which Minister Thapa deemed appropriate.

As per the Sugauli Treaty, all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal.

The Minister also said that this issue should be broached in the international platform while diplomatic efforts shoul be sped up to resolve this issue.

He also pointed out the need to issue Nepal’s map that encompasses all the Nepal’s territories. He said he would take the matter seriously and take the issue to the decision-making agency.