Nepal and UK Hold Ministerial-Level Discussion on Gurkha Soldier Issue
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has urged the UK government to resolve the concerns of former British Gurkha soldiers quickly, fairly and respectfully.
Nepal and the United Kingdom have held a ministerial-level discussion on the demands raised by Gurkha soldiers. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal held a virtual discussion with UK Defence Secretary John Healey and Minister for Veterans and People Louise Sandher-Jones. During the meeting, Minister Khanal said the concerns of Gurkhas should be resolved immediately and in a just manner. He described Gurkhas as the backbone of Nepal-UK relations and said resolving their concerns would also make it easier to continue Gurkha recruitment.
According to the Foreign Ministry statement cited in the report, Minister Khanal urged the UK government to address the issues from the perspective of justice, fairness and respect. On behalf of the UK Defence Secretary, Minister Sandher-Jones reaffirmed the UK side’s commitment to work closely with Nepal to resolve the concerns of former British Gurkha soldiers. However, a former Gurkha soldier who participated in the discussion said the UK side expressed willingness to resolve the matter through dialogue but did not make any specific commitment. Officials from Nepal and the UK, representatives of former Gurkha soldiers, and officials from the Nepali Embassy in London also participated in the meeting.