KATHMANDU, Sept 14: Indian foreign secretary Sujatha Singh arrived in Kathmandu this afternoon, leading a two-member delegation, on a two-day ´goodwill visit´.
Singh is visiting Nepal as she took charge of her office on August 1 as a new Indian foreign secretary replacing Ranjan Mathai. Joint Secretary (North) at the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, Avaya Thakur has accompanied her. [break]
Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amrit Bahadur Rai, Indian ambassador to Nepal Ranjit Rae and embassy officials welcomed Singh at the airport upon arrival. Singh held a meeting with Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala at the latter´s residence this afternoon. According to Koirala´s aide Laxman Dhakal, the meeting lasted for about 45 minutes starting 3:45 pm.
"It was courtesy call. She inquired about latest political political developments and other issues of mutual concerns," Dhakal said. Singh is due to hold meeting with CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal later in the evening.
According to a statement issued by Nepal´s foreign ministry, there will be a meeting between foreign Secretary Mr. Arjun Bahadur Thapa and the visiting Indian foreign secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singhdurbar on Sunday.
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that this visit will further strengthen the friendly relations so happily subsisted between the two countries for centuries," the statement further says.
This is her first official visit to Nepal as she is visiting the neighboring countries after taking charge of her office. She returns home on Sunday evening wrapping up her two-day official visit.
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