Kathmandu, Nov. 15 -- Former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai has urged Prime Minister Balendra Shah to firmly raise issues ranging from the border dispute and trade deficit to air routes, water resources and the Himalayan crisis during his official visit to India in mid-November.

In an interview with the Kantipur daily, Bhattarai suggested that Shah propose a new mechanism to address all outstanding bilateral issues through a comprehensive approach.

According to Bhattarai, Nepal's relationship with India is fundamentally different from its ties with other countries because the two share an open border stretching around 1,850 kilometres. Nepal cannot resolve the effects of its relationship with India on its domestic politics and economy...