PM Deuba returns home; says coalition will last for Full Term

CB Adhikari / Kathmandu, Nov 4: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the present alliance of the ruling parties will last for the full term.

Addressing a news conference at the VIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport upon arrival home today after attending the World Leaders Summit during the 26th Conference of Parties (COP 26) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Glasgow of the UK, he said the present ruling coalition will remain for the full term and there should not be any doubts about it.

“The coalition will remain for the full term. There is no need for any doubt and confusion regarding the coalition,” he reiterated.

The present coalition government under the leadership of Nepali Congress president Deuba has the participation of the CPN(Maoist Centre), the CPN (Unified Socialist), the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) and the Rastriya Janamorcha, in addition to the Nepali Congress.

PM Deuba returned home today after leading the Nepali delegation to the World Leaders Summit of the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 26) held in Glasgow on 1-2 November 2021.

Excellent talks were held with India

In the news conference, PM Deuba said he held important discussions with leaders of various countries including India on the sidelines of the World Leaders Summit under COP26.

According to the Prime Minister, extensive talks have been held with India especially concerning the air route. PM Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have held talks on permission for using Indian air space for the operation of the Gautam Buddha International Airport in Lumbini, Bhairahawa.

“Talks have been held regarding airspace since the Indian airspace has to be used while conducting flights to and from the Gautam Buddha Airport. Excellent discussions have been held on other topics besides this topic. India’s excellent goodwill towards Nepal has been seen. I have thanked India for assisting Nepal with fertiliser when there is a shortage of urea fertilizer even there,” PM Deuba said of his discussions with his Indian counterpart.

The Gautam Buddha International Airport is about to be operated soon. Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the regulatory body, has said the calibration flight would be operated at this airport within a month and test flight conducted within three months after the operation of the calibration flight.

PM Deuba said during his talks with the British Defence Minister, he found the UK has much goodwill towards Nepal and the UK Defence Minister stated that they were positive about increasing the number of Gurkhas in their armed force.

As he said, Nepal had strongly raised the issues of climate change and mitigation of climate change risk. Nepal’s voice was primarily for minimizing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, saving oxygen and reducing carbon emissions.

During the Conference, Nepal drew the attention of the world towards the increasing impact of climate change in Nepal and rising incidents of natural disasters like floods and landslides and it was responded by a concern from other nations.

Indian PM Modi likely to visit Nepal soon

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Nepal soon. During bilateral talks between Prime Minister Deuba and Prime Minister Modi held on the sidelines of COP26, the latter expressed his intent to visit Nepal.

Prime Minister Deuba said he had invited his counterpart Modi for the Nepal visit and in response, the Indian Prime Minister said he was ready to visit Nepal and invited Prime Minister for the visit to India as well.

Likewise, during the meeting with Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) deputy executive chief Alexia Latortue, the Prime Minister said Nepal was in favour of the proposal and the matter about this would be finalized soon through due process. “The MCC deputy chief was curious about the tentative date to pass the proposal and in reply, I said we would reach a conclusion after holding discussions with the government alliance.”

Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, Defence Minister Dr Minendra Rijal, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Narayan Khadka, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gyanendra Bahadur Karki were at TIA to welcome the Prime Minister and his delegation back home.

Likewise, NC Vice President Bimalendra Nidhi, Government Chief Secretary Shankerdas Bairagi, government senior officials and chiefs of security bodies also reached TIA to welcome the delegation. RSS