KATHMANDU: CPN-UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has left for New Delhi on Wednesday on a five-day visit to India at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Leader Nepal is accompanied by CPN-UML general secretary Iswor Pokharel and party´s foreign department member Rajan Bhattarai. In course of the visit, Nepal is set to have meetings with Indian Prime Minister Singh, ruling party alliance Chairperson and Congress-I Chairperson Soniya Gandhi, External Affairs Minister, major parties´ leaders and parliamentarians.

Leader Nepal will also hold a meeting with chief minister of Bihar Nitish Kumar in course of his visit to Patna. 

Talking to journalists before his departure at the Tribhuvan International Airport, he said during the meeting the two countries´ leaders will exchange views as how the existing bilateral relations could further grow. 

Nepali people are taking part in poll to frame a new constitution, he said, adding that the Indian assistance to this effect is adequate.

KATHMANDU: Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has expressed India’s readiness to support everything for Nepal based on latter’s priority.

At a meeting with UCPN (Maoist) leaders led by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Khurshid made such commitment.

During the meeting, the Maoist leaders briefed the Indian Minister about Nepal’s latest political event, UCPN (Maoist)’s Foreign Department Bureau Ram Karki told media persons.

Khurshid also expressed happiness to the talk-team formation by the CPN-Maoist to hold talks with the government and expressed confidence that misunderstanding regarding the CA election would end.

After the meeting, Prachanda said the meeting was positive.

UCPN (Maoist) leaders Prachanda, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Posta Bahadur Bogati and Karki had reached the Hotel Dwarika’s to meet the visiting Indian leaders.

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Prachanda had arrived this afternoon by cutting his Singapore visit short to meet Khurshid.

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba also met with Khrushid.

After the meeting, NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula said that the Indian Minister suggested to move ahead by taking all parties into confidence in the CA poll.

NC leader Sujata Koirala was also present at the meeting.

During the meeting, Khurshid had asked the NC leaders about their wishes to bring the CPN-Maoist on board the election.

Likewise, during the meeting with the CPN (UML) Chairman, Khurshid said that India has wished to see CA election being held successfully.

During a meeting between the foreign affairs ministers of both the countries held today in the capital, agreement was made to resolve problems related to trade, commerce and inundation.

“We discussed a large number of issues concerning trade facilitation, laboratory testing, water resources, extradition treaty, and additional customs duty,” according to spokesperson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arjun Bahadur Thapa.

An agreement has also been reached to form a joint committee led by the Commerce Secretaries of the two countries which will work to put an end to the additional customs duty levied by India in Nepali products and also remove all other obstacles to export promotion, Thapa said.

Foreign Minister Madhav Prasad Ghimire and visiting Indian Minister of External Affairs Salman Khurshid led their respective delegations during the talks held today.

Foreign Minister Ghimire also hosted a luncheon in honour of his Indian counterpart, who arrived here this morning on a day-long visit.

KATHMANDU: Visiting Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid called on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav in the Office of the President this afternoon.

During the meeting, issues of bilateral interests and relations were discussed. On the occasion, the Indian Minister said that India was ready to provide any kind of support as India wants to see a stable and democratic country.

KATHMANDU: Visiting Indian External Minister Salman Khurshid has pledged to provide all sorts of assistance to Nepal in the upcoming CA election scheduled for November 19.

Khurshid made such a commitment at a meeting with Chairman of the Interim Election Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi and his Nepali counterpart Madhav Prasad Ghimire held today.

During the meeting, discussions were held to effectively implement the agreements signed earlier between the two countries and run the Indian projects in Nepal.

The meeting was held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

After the meeting, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Arjun Bahadur Thapa said issues ranging for mutual interests to CA election were held.

During the meeting, India agreed to provide 764 vehicles for the upcoming Constituent Assembly election and security bodies.

Secretary at the Finance Ministry Shantaraj Subedi and Indian Ambassador to Nepal Jayanta Prasad signed the MoU.

Of the total vehicles, 716 will be provided to security bodies while 48 others for the Election Commission.

KATHMANDU: Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has arrived in Kathmandu at 9:30 am today.

Talking to media in Tribhuvan International Airport, the Indian External Affairs Minister said that he came to Nepal to express India’s solidarity and goodwill to Nepal’s upcoming CA election.

He also made it clear that his visit has no agenda but to express solidarity and goodwill adding that the CA election scheduled for November 19 should be held successfully.

Saying that Nepal was at the top of India’s foreign policy, Khurshid went on to say that he chose Nepal as his first foreign visit due to the same.

Khurshid is scheduled to meet President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, chairman of Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi and other leaders as well his counterpart Madhav Prasad Ghimire.

Khurshid is leaving for India this evening at 6:00 pm.

He also said that India was in favor of a stable, prosperous and democratic nation despite he said that the political parties and people of Nepal were to decide in all issues in Nepal.

He urged all to make Nepal’s upcoming CA a success by bringing all dissenting political parties including the CPN-Maoist.

The two Ministers will exchange views on the further development of bilateral relations and other issues of mutual interest,” the statement reads.

The Indian Minister will also call on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and Chairman of interim government Khil Raj Regmi.

Talking to Rishi Dhamala for nepalireporter.com, Jaiswal also expressed happiness to the political understanding in Nepal adding that institutionalization of Nepal’s democracy was India’s concern.

He further said that India wants to see a prosperous and developed Nepal and India was ready to extend support to that end.

Jaiswal, general secretary of Janata Dal United of India Kesi Tyagi, lawmaker Girija Byas and other Indian leaders are meeting with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav at the latter’s office in Sheetal Niwas.

General Secretary of Janta Dal United KC Tyagi, former chief of India’s National Women’s Commission and lawmaker of Congress-I Girija Byas, Overseas coordinator of Bharatiya Janta Party Bijay Joli, former mayor of Delhi Metropolitan City Arati Mehata and others are coming for a two-day Nepal visit.

Though the Indian leaders are attending an interaction on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on March 8, they are scheduled to meet the President, Prime Minister and top leaders of all major political parties in Nepal.