Sujatha Singh meets Nepal's President, Government Head

Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh today called on Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav and interim government chief Khil Raj Regmi and discussed latest political developments and bilateral ties, including security cooperation.
During the high-level discussion between Regmi and Singh, issues surrounding the upcoming Constituent Assembly elections dominated the talks, Foreign Ministry sources said here.
The Constituent Assembly polls slated for November 19 and poll security were the focal point during their discussion, Nepalese Foreign Ministry spokesman Dipak Dhital told PTI after the meeting.
Singh assured to provide necessary logistic support to Nepal for the upcoming elections, Dhital said, adding that Nepalese government also sought security cooperation from India in the border areas.

The Foreign Secretary also called on Minister for Home and for Foreign Affairs Madhav Prasad Ghimire and met her Nepalese counterpart Arjun Bahadur Thapa, sources here said.
Singh arrived here on a two-day official visit to Nepal yesterday. This is her first visit to Nepal since she assumed her office on August 1.

Earlier, Singh yesterday held talks with Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal, according to party sources.
During the meeting with Koirala, Singh enquired about the current political developments and preparations made for the upcoming elections and other matters relating to bilateral interest, Nepali Congress sources said.

"We hope to complete the political transition soon and work towards fulfilling the peoples' aspiration for economic development for which we need further cooperation from our close neighbour India," Khanal told her, according to a statement issued by the CPN-UML.
Singh said that India wants to see a prosperous Nepal and is ready to provide assistance for attaining peace, prosperity and democratisation process in the Himalayan nation.
She also held discussion with senior Madhesi leaders and is expected to meet Maoist chief Prachanda today before wrapping up her two day official visit to Nepal.
Singh also visited the Pashupatinath Temple to pay homage to Lord Shiva.