India, Nepal to hold talks on security, terrorism

New Delhi, Nov 4 : India and Nepal will begin two-day home secretary level talks Friday with effective cooperation in combating terrorist activities and trans-border crimes high on the agenda, an official said Wednesday.

Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai leaves Thursday for Kathmandu where he will hold a meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Govind Prasad Kusum.

"The talks will be held on the sixth and seventh of this month. Kusum, home secretary of Nepal, will lead his country's delegation at the talks. The two sides will discuss issues of bilateral concern relating to security and border management," said a press statement from the home ministry.

During the meeting, Nepal is likely to ask for India's cooperation in controlling criminal activities taking place in the troubled Terai region. India is expected to raise the issue of criminal and terrorist activities in the border as well as routing of fake Indian currency from Nepal.

The meeting is part of a network of institutional mechanisms that India and Nepal have set up in the area of security cooperation.

During his visit, Pillai is likely to call on Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Home Minister Bhim Rawal.

The last home secretary level talks between the two countries were held Oct 31 and Nov 1, 2008 in New Delhi. The two sides resolved not to allow their respective territories to be used for activities inimical to the interests of the other side.

They also agreed to further intensify cooperation through regular meetings and information sharing between the concerned authorities of adjoining border districts and at other levels.

--IANS