Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah told parliament on May 31 that he had urged the United Kingdom to "take an interest" in the long-running territorial dispute between Nepal and India over the Lipulekh-Kalapani-Limpiyadhura region (a strategically sensitive tri-border area where Nepal, India, and China meet), arguing that Britain bears historical responsibility as the dispute stems from the 1816 Sugauli Treaty signed under British India. India swiftly rejected the call, with its Ministry of External Affairs stating that "there is no role for any third parties in a bilateral matter between India and Nepal." Analysts suggest Shah's move may be an attempt to reassert Nepal's relevance after India and China agreed bilaterally to reopen the Lipulekh Pass for trade and pilgrimage traffic without consulting Kathmandu.