India willing to `re-visit` 1950 treaty with Nepal: Krishna

Ajay Kaul
Kathmandu, Jan 17 (PTI) Heeding to Nepal's demand, India
Sunday said it is willing to "re-visit" the 1950 Peace and
Friendship treaty but the initiative should come from this
country as more clarity is required.
"We are open to it," Indian External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna told reporters as he wound up his three-day visit
here.
Justifying the need for revising the 1950 treaty, he
said 60 years have past since it was signed. The world has
changed since then and the Cold War has ended, he added.
"We are entirely willing to re-visit this treaty but the
initiative has to come from Nepal. There has to be enough
clarity (from Nepal)," Krishna said. "There has to be enough
thought of what they want."
This issue was flagged by all Nepalese leaders who met
Krishna during his visit here. The Maoists are particularly
being pressing for scrapping the treaty, saying it was
unequal.
Asked about the delay in signing of the extradition
treaty between the two countries, Krishna said that India
would certainly like to move fast on it but is willing to wait
till the Nepalese side is ready.
India has been keen on this treaty, but lack of consensus
among political parties in Nepal is delaying its signing.
"There are some time delays ... India has enormous
patience," Krishna said. (More) PTI