Special Interview with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli: We do not play each other's 'cards' against each other
Kathmandu - Gardens are now built inside the Prime Minister's residence, Baluwatar. Looks a bit green. It has been laid to demolish the old residence and make it new. The look and feel of the building has increased the noise here. Even those who came to the meeting since morning have not been broken. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's Singha Durbar allotment has fallen a little since he returned to Singapore for treatment last time. Most of the work is done by sand.
He also called a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning. Ministers were waiting in the hall. But recently after the successful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the prime minister, who was very enthusiastic, was in the mood for a long talk at his residence. Pushing on the cabinet meeting, he talked to Kantipur for an hour-and-a-half minutes. Here is an edited part of the interview taken by Prime Minister Olisag Sudhir Sharma and Durga Khanal :
How long have you been to the President of China after a visit to Nepal?
This is not important only because of the visit of the Chinese President after a long time. The visit of the Chinese President to Nepal is of special importance when China has emerged as a 'superpower'. As I've always said, the key is friendship. The achievements we have achieved now are because of our friendship with faith.
Internally we had three expectations - friendship, 'connectivity' and development. We've got that. We are looking to increase connectivity and make it easier. We are well covered by that route - the railway or the subway. The subterranean tunnel and the Betravati-Saphrumbeni tunnel route, this is not a subject that many people first thought. But now we are on our way. Kimathanka can run all season. That has gone to plan. There has been agreement on the construction of many infrastructures such as Kosi, Gandaki and Karnali Corridor, Surkhet-Hilsa, Korla Naka, Rasuwagadhi Tunnel.
There was talk of a train earlier in connectivity, this time it looked like the road was coming. Are trains and roads complementary or viewed as a separate option?
The road is fast. The tunnel route is also fast.
How long is it fast?
(Tunnel) may be in 2-3 years, but the railway may not be so fast. Nations do not just work for one another, they do for the future. Now if the immediate train is not possible then a little later. In the past, it was not possible to get a train to Tibet, but in today's time. The technology developed accordingly.
It may take time for the train now. If we insist that it only takes that long, nothing will happen. So let's talk about what's going to happen now. Efforts should be made to slow things down a bit. But we did not put less emphasis on the train. It is mentioned in the joint statement. What I talked about in 1 and 2 is consistent with the current agreement.
Kerung-Kathmandu Rail is technically and geographically difficult and there is a risk of debt, so what do you say about the argument that Nepal does not need such a train?
While the 'Twin Towers' were being built in Malaysia, Mahathir (Mohammed) was alleged to have terminated all the money in the developing country by placing a moth house. It has now become a symbol of development. Even when Thailand built the tower, it was said to be worthless. Now it has become a major source of income. In Malaysia, the airport was built 1/3 km away, and people were criticized for not being so far away. It is now a 5-minute drive. There were also why the Burj Khalifa was created in the UAE. In 1979, Wright called the brothers crazy, imagining an airplane when he saw birds flying in the sky.
Why do we need the Kodari Highway? That would not be possible. There were those who didn't need the East-West Highway. There are now why we need a 'fast track', the Midwest Highway. People are increasingly understanding about the 'Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity'. People later find out if we need a train or not. We have said that we will bring the train from the south and connect it with Kathmandu from the north.
What is meant by connecting both sides?
The connection is fine. From here (China) also comes to Kathmandu, it comes from (India) too.
He also called a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning. Ministers were waiting in the hall. But recently after the successful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the prime minister, who was very enthusiastic, was in the mood for a long talk at his residence. Pushing on the cabinet meeting, he talked to Kantipur for an hour-and-a-half minutes. Here is an edited part of the interview taken by Prime Minister Olisag Sudhir Sharma and Durga Khanal :
How long have you been to the President of China after a visit to Nepal?
This is not important only because of the visit of the Chinese President after a long time. The visit of the Chinese President to Nepal is of special importance when China has emerged as a 'superpower'. As I've always said, the key is friendship. The achievements we have achieved now are because of our friendship with faith.
Internally we had three expectations - friendship, 'connectivity' and development. We've got that. We are looking to increase connectivity and make it easier. We are well covered by that route - the railway or the subway. The subterranean tunnel and the Betravati-Saphrumbeni tunnel route, this is not a subject that many people first thought. But now we are on our way. Kimathanka can run all season. That has gone to plan. There has been agreement on the construction of many infrastructures such as Kosi, Gandaki and Karnali Corridor, Surkhet-Hilsa, Korla Naka, Rasuwagadhi Tunnel.
There was talk of a train earlier in connectivity, this time it looked like the road was coming. Are trains and roads complementary or viewed as a separate option?
The road is fast. The tunnel route is also fast.
How long is it fast?
(Tunnel) may be in 2-3 years, but the railway may not be so fast. Nations do not just work for one another, they do for the future. Now if the immediate train is not possible then a little later. In the past, it was not possible to get a train to Tibet, but in today's time. The technology developed accordingly.
It may take time for the train now. If we insist that it only takes that long, nothing will happen. So let's talk about what's going to happen now. Efforts should be made to slow things down a bit. But we did not put less emphasis on the train. It is mentioned in the joint statement. What I talked about in 1 and 2 is consistent with the current agreement.
Kerung-Kathmandu Rail is technically and geographically difficult and there is a risk of debt, so what do you say about the argument that Nepal does not need such a train?
While the 'Twin Towers' were being built in Malaysia, Mahathir (Mohammed) was alleged to have terminated all the money in the developing country by placing a moth house. It has now become a symbol of development. Even when Thailand built the tower, it was said to be worthless. Now it has become a major source of income. In Malaysia, the airport was built 1/3 km away, and people were criticized for not being so far away. It is now a 5-minute drive. There were also why the Burj Khalifa was created in the UAE. In 1979, Wright called the brothers crazy, imagining an airplane when he saw birds flying in the sky.
Why do we need the Kodari Highway? That would not be possible. There were those who didn't need the East-West Highway. There are now why we need a 'fast track', the Midwest Highway. People are increasingly understanding about the 'Trans-Himalayan Multidimensional Connectivity'. People later find out if we need a train or not. We have said that we will bring the train from the south and connect it with Kathmandu from the north.
What is meant by connecting both sides?
The connection is fine. From here (China) also comes to Kathmandu, it comes from (India) too.
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