Monday, June 21, 2004
China to help Nepal in fight against Maoists
Agence France-Presse
Kathmandu, June 21
China has agreed to assist the Royal Nepal Army fight Maoist rebels campaigning to overthrow the monarchy in the Himalayan kingdom, state radio and TV reported on Monday.
They quoted Nepal's Chief of Army Staff General Pyar Jung Thapa as saying on his return from a weeklong goodwill visit to China that he and his Chinese counterparts had agreed to enhance security cooperation.
This would extend to the military campaign against Maoist rebels, who since 1996 have been waging a bloody rebellion aimed at installing a communist republic in Nepal, the general said.
He did not elaborate on the kind of military assistance China would offer.
During his stay in Beijing, Thapa held talks with the Chief of Staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, General Liang Guanglie, and with Defence Minister General Cao Gangchuan, a Nepalese official said.
Describing his visit to China as successful, Thapa said he hoped the visit would help further strengthen bilateral ties between the governments of the two countries.
© HT Media Ltd. 2004