Minister advises Nepal PM to agree to Indian request for sky marshals

Kathmandu: Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has asked for the opinion of his Cabinet colleagues and other party leaders on India’s request to have sky marshals on board Indian aircraft flying to Nepal. Simultaneously, the Nepalese Home Ministry has upgraded the security system at the Tribhuvan International Airport.
“India has sent its request and we are discussing it. At the same time, elaborate security arrangements have been made at the international airport,” said Home Minister Bhim Rawal, who was in Delhi recently.
“They can have sky marshals on board like other countries facing terror threats,” Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Singh Bhandary is believed to have advised the PM. Bhandary is also believed to have told the PM that all such arrangements will have to be on reciprocal basis and Nepal will get the same treatment if it wants to have its commandos on its aircraft flying to India.
Poor security arrangements at the international airport in Kathmandu — with an Indian Airlines plane having been hijacked in December 1999 — has been a matter of concern for India.
27/01/10 Yubraj Ghimire/Indian Express

To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline

Categories: Foreign Jan 2010, Safety Jan 2010