KATHMANDU, May 31: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali held discussions with Secretary General of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Shahidul lslam, on Wednesday about hosting BIMSTEC Summit in Nepal.

Minister Gyawali discussed about holding the fourth summit meeting with Secretary General Islam when the latter paid a courtesy call on him at his office. Nepal, as the current chair of the sub-regional body, intends to host the summit in 2018 or early 2019.

According to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Minister Gyawali reiterated Nepal's commitment toward BIMSTEC and as the current chair, expressed willingness to convene the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu at a time convenient to all the member states.

While lauding the role played by BIMSTEC, Minister Gyawali emphasized that the cooperation under BIMSTEC should be able to deliver tangible results for the prosperity of the people of the region.

On the occasion, Secretary General Islam apprised of the various activities of BIMSTEC and expressed the willingness to extend all kinds of cooperation to the member states and especially to the chair for convening the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Kathmandu.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, the Secretary General called on the Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi at the latter's office. During the meeting, the whole gamut of cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework was discussed, according to the MoFA statement.

Foreign Secretary Bairagi highlighted the need to strengthen regional collaboration under BIMSTEC by deepening the cooperation on core areas such as connectivity, trade, energy, investment and tourism.

The BIMSTEC Secretary General is on a three-day introductory visit to Nepal. Islam was appointed to the post for a term of three years at the 15th BIMSTEC foreign ministers' meeting held in Kathmandu last year.

 
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