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Nepal-China to finalise boundary maps
KATHMANDU, MAR 27 -
Nepal and China are all set to update the boundary maps between the two countries, according to officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA).
There has been no headway to this effect since 1988 when the third protocol on boundary maps was signed.
The 57-page boundary maps prepared through Global Positioning System and Satellite Remote Sensing will be fully digitalised.
Eighty-two joint border pillars were set along the 1414-km long boundary, said officials who were involved in preparing the maps.
“Chinese side was unwilling to revise the height of Mt. Everest as it had invested a huge amount of money while preparing books and curriculum. We will convey ours concerns about the height,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said.
The seventh round of meeting between the Third Joint Boundary Inspection Committee is scheduled in Kathmandu from April 4 to April 10.
Mukti Bhatta, joint secretary at MoFA will lead the Nepali delegation along with Survey Department officials.
The joint secretary level third committee was constituted in 1996 to prepare the boundary maps and the committee had submitted its report at the ministry in July 2009.
Nepal and China had signed three-boundary protocols in the past and the upcoming meeting will pave the way to sign the fourth one. “We have already demarcated all the boundary maps with China but there has been an issue regarding the height of Mt. Everest,” said a senior MoFA official.
The popular height of the Mt. Everest is 8,8,48 meters.
Chinese curriculum and other official dossiers have mentioned the height of Mt. Everest as 8, 8 44.5 meters.
We have only problems in two border pillars - 57 and 62. They were missing and during the joint inspection in 2006, both sides had found the missing pillars that were shifted to Nepali side.
Due to the extreme geographical situation, both countries could not set three border pillars.
Nepal and China signed the boundary protocol in 1963, 1979 and 1988. The meeting this time will prepare the boundary maps to the signing status.
Posted on: 2010-03-28 07:46
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