Foreign Minister Mahat attends General Debate of the 71st Session of UNGA

Kathmandu / Sept 22: Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, Minister for Foreign Affairs and the leader of Nepali delegation to the 71th session of the United Nations General Assembly, attended the General Debate of the 71th session of the UNGA that began in New York Tuesday.

Minister Mahat is scheduled to address the session on 24 September 2016. On the sidelines of the UNGA, Nepal and El Salvador, a central American republic, established diplomatic relations Wednesday.

Dr Mahat and Mr Hugo Roger Martinez Bonilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs of El Salvador signed a Joint communiqué to this effect at a special ceremony held at the United Nation Headquarters. On the occasion, the two ministers expressed their confidence that the signing of the communiqué would deepen and widen the relations between the two countries in areas of mutual interest, and would also strengthen mutual cooperation at the United Nations and other multilateral forums to promote international peace and development, the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United States.

The number of countries with which Nepal has established diplomatic relations has now reached 144.

Similarly, the Foreign Minister held separate bilateral meetings with his counterparts of Mongolia and Serbia. During the meeting with Mr Tsend Munkh-Orgil, Foreign Minister of Mongolia, the two sides discussed ways and means to further strengthening the bilateral relations and cooperation on matters of mutual interest. The Minister of Mongolia briefed about the status of the ratification of the Statute of the International Think Tank for Landlocked Developing Countries, and asked Nepal to accede to the Statute. Minister Mahat responded to the request positively.

Likewise, during the meeting with Mr. Ivica Decic, the first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Serbia, the two sides exchanged views on bilateral and multilateral interests including the Non-Aligned Movement.

Also on the sidelines, the Informal Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers was held in New York with participation of all eight member states of SAARC and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Mahat, as the current Chair of the SAARC Council of Ministers, presided over the Meeting. The Meeting reviewed progress achieved on the implementation of the decisions of the 37th Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers and its preceding meetings held in Pokhara in March 2016. On the occasion, the head of delegation of Pakistan briefed about the ongoing preparations for hosting the 19th SAARC Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers and its preceding meetings held in Pokhara in March 2016.

On the occasion, the head of delegation of Pakistan briefed about the ongoing preparations for hosting the 19th SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in Pakistan on 09 to 10 November 2016.

The Minister attended a reception hosted by the United Nations Office of the High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing Countries to mark its 15th anniversary of establishment. He also attended separate receptions organized by Japan, Singapore and Kuwait, and met with his counterparts during the occasions.

On Tuesday evening, Minister Dr. Mahat attended a reception hosted in honour of visiting heads of delegations by Barack Obama, the President of the United States of America. On the occasion, he had a brief exchange of views with President Obama and also talked with US Secretary of State Mr. John Kerry on matters of mutual
interests. RSS