Nepal's special enovy to leave for China, India trip planned

Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara will leave for Beijing on Monday on a six-day China visit as a special envoy of Prime Minister Prachanda while dates are being finalised for a similar visit to India by another Nepalese special envoy, the official media reported on Sunday.

Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shankerdas Bairagi said that Mahara, also Minister for Finance, would hold discussions with senior Chinese officials focusing all aspects regarding Nepal-China relations as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping's maiden Nepal visit this year during his stay in Beijing.

Special envoy Mahara would hand over an invitation letter to the Chinese government sent by President Bidya Devi Bhandari to Xi, also General Secretary of the ruling Communist Party of China.

Similarly, Mahara would also hand over an invitation letter to the concerned official sent by Prime Minister Prachanda to Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang to visit Nepal.

Creating the environment conducive for the visits of Chinese President and Prime Minister and assuring Chinese side from all aspects is the main objective of DPM Mahara's China visit.

Deputy Prime Minister Mahara will be accompanied by Joint-Secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Jhabindra Prasad Aryal, Nepal's National News Agency (RSS) reported.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Bimalendra Nidhi, is leaving for India as a special envoy of Prime Minister Prachanda this very week.

Foreign Secretary Bairagi said, "We have been preparing to hold DPM Nidhi's India visit this week. We have urged Indian officials to make it happen as soon as possible."

He said problem had surfaced as there were public holidays on Sunday and 70th Independence of Day of India on Monday.

Nidhi's visit would focus on strengthening of relations between Nepal and India and Indian President's Nepal visit. The special envoy would also hold discussions with high-level officials about President Bhandari's cancelled visit to India.

The government on August 11 had decided to send DPM Mahara and DPM Nidhi to China and India respectively as the special envoys of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.