Tibet fears lead to China blocking Nepal mountain route(News Analysis)

Kathmandu, Sep 23 - While it steps up its economic, diplomatic and cultural overtures to Nepal to gloss over its earlier support to King Gyanendra's government, China has blocked a Nepal mountain route for fear its control over Tibet would be weakened.

Nepal is losing revenue of millions as mountaineers are unable to climb Mt Cho Oyu, the sixth highest peak in the world, from Nepal. Instead, climbers have to go through Tibet, annexed by China in the 40s.

The 8,201 m Cho Oyu straddling the Nepal-Tibet border is regarded as the easiest of the 14 peaks in the world towering above 8,000 m and is frequently summited by mountaineers as a warming-up exercise before attempting Mt Everest, the highest peak in the world.

However, the route to Cho Oyu from Nepal dips into Tibet for about 100 m and therefore has been blocked by Beijing.

In the past, when China was not so fiercely concerned about controlling Tibet, it did not object to mountaineers entering the tiny part of its territory in order to climb Cho Oyu from Nepal.

Till 1994, mountaineers were allowed to follow the route. However, after September 1994, when a Japanese expedition summited the peak, China stopped mountaineers coming from south.

Currently, with Tibetans trying to flee to Nepal through high mountain passes, Beijing has increased its security posts in high altitude. Mountaineers straying into Tibet from Nepal face grilling interrogation and deportation.

On the other hand, Nepal has been tolerant of mountaineers from the Chinese side straying into Nepali territory.

The Chinese route to Mt Makalu, the fifth highest peak that also stands on the Nepal-Tibet border, goes into Nepal for almost 200 m.

However, Nepal, which wants a harmonious relationship with its giant northern neighbour, makes no objections.

Interestingly, China has sent a succession of senior officials to Nepal after the fall of King Gyanendra's government, who pledged to help the new multi-party ruling alliance any way they could.

However, the offer has stopped short of taking any measure, however minor, that Beijing regards as capable of softening its grip on Tibet.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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