NEW YORK, Sept 21: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who is in New York to attend the 72nd United Nations General Assembly, held separate meetings with the Heads of State and Governments of the SAARC countries on Thursday.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Deuba had a courtesy meeting with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena
During the meeting, Sri Lankan President Maithripala expressed his interest to visit Nepal in opportune time while recalling Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s visit to Sri Lanka, shared PM’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Dinesh Bhattarai.

The two leaders also dwelt on the challenges and potentials of the SAARC region.

President Maithripala had expressed his commitment to support the reconstruction of the Anandakuti Bihar and Machhindranath Temple of Nepal.

Earlier, PM Deuba held separate meetings with with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Pakistani counterpart Shahid Khaqan Abbasi at the United Nations.

In the meetings, issues of mutual interests and different aspects of people-to-people relations and cooperation including trade and energy were discussed, Dr Bhattarai informed.

During the meeting, Pakistani counterpart Abbasi extended invitation to PM Deuba for Pakistan visit.

Also present during the meetings were Foreign Affairs Adviser to the PM Dr. Dinesh Bhattarai, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, and Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations in New York, Durga Prasad Bhattarai, among others.

PM Deuba had arrived here Wednesday by leading a 20-member Nepali delegation to address the UNGA.