KATHMANDU: The Government of Nepal today handed over a diplomatic note to the ambassador of India, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, expresing dissent over India's unilateral move of opening a link road to China via Lipulekh.

Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali handed over the note to the Indian envoy in a meeting at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, today.

Foreign Minister Hon. @PradeepgyawaliK conveyed Government of Nepal's position on boundary issues to Ambassador of India to Nepal H.E. Mr. Vinay Mohan Kwatra at a meeting held at MoFA today and handed over a diplomatic note in this regard.

— MOFA of Nepal ?? (@MofaNepal) May 11, 2020

“Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali conveyed the government of Nepal's position on boundary issues to Ambassador of India to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra at a meeting held at the Foreign Ministry today and handed over a diplomatic note in this regard," the Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Twitter.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) had expressed its concern over the inauguration of a link road via Lipulekh region, which falls on the Nepali territory.

MoFA in its statement had said that the Government of Nepal has consistently maintained that as per Sugauli Treaty (1816), all the territories east of Kali (Mahakali) River, including Limpiyadhura, Kalapani and Lipu Lekh, belong to Nepal. This was reiterated by the Government of Nepal several times in the past and most recently through a diplomatic note addressed to the Government of India dated November 20, 2019, in response to the new political map issued by the latter.

"This unilateral act runs against the understanding reached between the two countries, including at the level of the Prime Ministers, that a solution to boundary issues would be sought through negotiation," the Ministry had said.

The Government of Nepal had called upon the Government of India to refrain from carrying out any activity inside the territory of Nepal.

The Indian Government, in response, had claimed that the recently inaugurated road section in Pithoragarh district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand lies completely within the territory of India and that the road follows the pre-existing route used by pilgrims of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.