Crisis of confidence between him and India: Prachanda

Kathmandu, May 11 (PTI) Dismissing as "ridiculous"
India's fears that Nepal was moving closer to China, Prime
Minister Prachanda has, however, said there was a "crisis of
confidence" between him and the Indian establishment.

Prachanda, the Maoist leader who resigned as Prime
Minister last week after Nepal's President Ram Baran Yadav
annulled his dismissal of the Army chief Gen Rukmangad
Katawal, said that India had backed the "extra-constitutional"
action of the President.

"We are fighting for civilian supremacy (over the army)
but directly or indirectly the new position of New Delhi is
not consistent with civilian supremacy.

"To support the steps of the President which are
extra-constitutional and to support the army chief is not
consistent with civilian supremacy," the caretaker Prime
Minister told NDTV in an interview here.

Asked if there was a lack of trust between India and
Maoists, he replied, "May be. But we need to have more
interaction and debate on the issue (with India). We shall
have to review the process of understanding and I hope
ultimately we will come to a new agreement and we will go
ahead with the peace process."

To a question if there was a trust deficit between
India and Nepal, Prachanda said, "Yes, there is a crisis of
confidence....I hope ultimately we will be able to have a new
understanding and level of confidence."

He warned that if the "peace process is derailed it
will not be helpful to any country, Nepal or India".

Prachanda blamed "bureaucratic and security officials"
in India for the trust deficit and said that because India's
political leaders were busy in the election campaign these
officials were handling Nepal. "This is really unfortunate
for me," he added.

Answering a spate of questions on Nepal's growing ties
with China, the caretaker Prime Minister said that his country
wanted good-neighbourly relations with both India and China.
"There is no no dispute or controversy on this issue."

Explaining visits of several Chinese delegations to
Nepal in recent months, Prachanda said that the Chinese
leadership was very much concerned about "a serious incident"
in Tibet last year and any relationship between Nepal and that
incident. He did not not elaborate.

"Therefore, naturally they (the Chinese) were more
active about the changing political scenario in Nepal. Time
and again their delegations came. Unfortunately the Indian
side thought that we had invited them," he said.

About India's perception that he was getting closer to
China, Prachanda said such suspicions are totally baseless. "I
think it is very ridiculous."

He went on to say he had never asked any Chinese
delegation to visit Nepal.

Asked if he had intended to sign a treaty of peace and
friendship with China during a visit there earlier this month,
which was postponed because of the current crisis, Prachanda
said that it would not not have been signed during that visit.

"I told them (China) that this treaty should be
discussed with different political parties. Only then can we
sign this....it has to be studied from different angles and a
national consensus would have to be there."

Is signing of the treaty not not on his immediate
agenda, Prachanda was asked.

"No, no, no. It is quite clear," he responded. PTI VSC
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