Modi gets Nepal's support for International Yoga Day

Nepal has supported Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for an International Yoga Day enunciated during his speech at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly.

Hailing Nepal's nationally-driven peace and constitution-drafting process from the UN platform, Prime Minister Modi sought Nepal's nod for an International Yoga Day proposed for June 21 every year.

"We have immediately supported the idea and assured full cooperation in this respect," a member of the Nepali delegation told IANS Sunday. "If the proposal is tabled in the UN General Assembly for endorsement, without any delay, we will support it."

In a statement, Nepal Prime Minister Sushil Koirala also fully backed India's bid for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council and urged others to support it. India, Japan, Germany and Brazil should be on board in the UN security council, said Koirala in his address to the UN General Assembly.

According to a statement issued by Nepal's permanent mission to the UN, during their bilateral meeting on the UNGA sidelines, the two leaders expressed satisfaction over the state of implementation and follow-up of programmes agreed during the Indian prime minister's visit to Nepal in the first week of August. Prime Minister Koirala expressed his confidence that the constitution-drafting process will be completed on time.

Modi also inquired about the health of Koirala who recently overcame lung cancer. Koirala had suffered from lung cancer and underwent treatment in a New York-based hospital in June and July this year.

"Your visit to Nepal in August has turned the pages of Nepal-India relations. As we promised during the visit, we have successfully completed two landmark trade and energy related agreements," Koirala told Modi.

Though there was some delay in the constitution-drafting process, political parties in Nepal were committed to drafting a new constitution on time, Koirala told his Indian counterpart.

Modi and Koirala also discussed the preparations for the forthcoming 18th SAARC summit to be held in Kathmandu in November. Foreign Ministers of Nepal and India, Mahendra Bahadur Pandey and Sushma Sawaraj, respectively, had briefed Modi and Koirala about the outcome of the recently held SAARC Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting in the Maldives.

Modi also expressed his desire to visit Janakpur and Lumbini in Nepal with Prime Minister Koirala.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)