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Talks fail on resumption of IA flights to Nepal

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

The assertions of the minister of state for civil aviation and Nepal's ambassador to India are way off the mark. Indian Airlines flights to Kathmandu are not likely to be resumed soon, say authoritative sources.

The stand-off between both the countries over the resumption of flights, suspended in the wake of the hijack of IC-814, still continues, sources said. There has been no contact between both sides after the last round of discussions broke down in the last week of March.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Chaman Lal Gupta had told a private TV channel on Monday that Nepal has agreed to all the demands of India and flights between the two countries would be resumed soon.

Nepal's ambassador to India, Bekh B Thapa expressed similar sentiments on Sunday when he claimed a memorandum of understanding would be signed between the two sides next week. He also said flights would soon be resumed.

Talks between high level civil aviation delegations of India and Nepal had broken down in March end after both sides failed to agree on two crucial aspects: One, on India's demand that the Indian Airlines be allowed to position its staff near the X-ray machine that scans the passengers' luggage. Two, that Indian security officials be allowed to frisk passengers before they enter the flight.

During the final deliberations, both sides agreed on a mutually acceptable solution on frisking. It was decided that Indian security officials could stand on the ladder and frisk each passenger. This was decided on because the Nepalis refused to allow Indian security agencies to be stationed on their land.

However, differences over stationing Indian staff near the X-ray machines continue.

"There has been no progress on that front," sources said.

In March this year, the Indian delegation led by Sunil Arora, joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation, and comprising of P R Lohar, additional commissioner (Bureau of Civil Aviation Security) and Himmat Singh, director (Indian Airlines security), had been camping in Kathmandu for almost a week to thrash out the differences. But they have failed.

The Indian Airlines had suspended all its operations to Nepal in the wake of the hijacking of IC 814 on December 24. The Christmas eve flight of the Indian Airlines from Tribhuvan airport to new Delhi was hijacked and taken to several airports before it landed at Kandahar and stayed there till December 31, when the hijackers demands were met.

The Indian authorities have blamed security arrangements at the Tribhuvan international airport for the hijack. They believe that the hijackers were able to smuggle in knives, pistols and grenades only because the security at the airport was lax.

NIGHTMARE ON FLIGHT 814
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