August 3, 2014

MODI ARRIVES IN NEPAL TO A ROUSING WELCOME

Posted by The Himalayan Voice:

[Ceremonial guard of honour presented to Prime Minister Modi at the airport;19-gun salute offered by the Nepal Army]


Press Trust of India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi being welcomed by his Nepalese 
counterpartSushil Koirala on his arrival at Tribhuvan International 
Airport in Kathmandu on Sunday. Photo: PTI
With an aim of starting“new chapter” in India’s relations with Nepal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday to a rousing welcome with his counterpart in a special gesture receiving him at the airport. Mr. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to pay a bilateral visit to Nepal in 17 years, was received at the Tribhuvan International Airport here by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala who deviated from protocol for the purpose.
Deputy Prime Ministers Bam Dev Gautam and Prakash Man Singh were also present at the airport.
A colourful ceremonial guard of honour was presented to Prime Minister Modi at the airport with the anthems of India and Nepal being played. Mr. Modi was also offered a 19-gun salute by the Nepal Army.
There was tight security in and around the airport. The route from the airport to the hotel, a drive of about 10 minutes, saw an impromptu line up of the local people who had turned out in large numbers, waving flags and clicking photographs with cameras as well as mobile phones.
“I am excited about my visit and pleased that I am able to go there within weeks of assuming office as Prime Minister,” Mr. Modi had said in his pre-departure statement summing up the sentiment attached to the two-day trip.
A personal element is also attached the visit as the Prime Minister will be reuniting a 26-year-old Nepalese youth Jeet B. Saru Magar with his family after over 16 years. Mr. Modi has brought along with him Saru Magar whom he had accidentally found in bad condition in Ahmedabad about 16 years back then looked after him.
On the official part, Mr. Modi will be holding talks with his counterpart Koirala and meet other political leaders. He will also have the rare honour of addressing Nepal’s Constituent Assembly.
[Mr. Pandey said during the brief meeting some bilateral issues including hydro-power, trade, energy and security were covered. Political and cultural issues also came up for discussion.]

 Press Trust of India
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with Nepalese Foreign 
Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey during a meeting in 
Kathmandhu on Sunday.
Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Pandey on Sunday paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and briefly discussed some bilateral issues, including hydro-power, trade, energy and security.
The meeting took place at a five star hotel an hour after Mr. Modi arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day trip, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to pay a bilateral visit to Nepal in 17 years.
“The talks were held in a very cordial and friendly atmosphere,” Mr. Pandey toldPTI after the meeting.
“We have to move hand-in-hand in development,” he said.
Mr. Pandey said during the brief meeting some bilateral issues including hydro-power, trade, energy and security were covered. Political and cultural issues also came up for discussion.
“He (Modi) speaks less but he is result oriented. During my meeting, I felt whatever he says he believes in doing it,” he said when asked about his meeting with the Prime Minister.
The two leaders also underlined the need for expediting the ongoing projects being implemented under Nepal-India cooperation.
All the leading dailies here published banner headline news today covering Mr. Modi’s visit.
“Modi’s visit is a turning page in Nepal-India relations” describes a front page article carried by The Kathmandu Post.
Security was tightened in Kathmandu and most of the schools voluntarily announced closure for today and tomorrow in view of Mr. Modi’s visit.
@ The Hindu

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MODI MEETS KOIRALA, THREE AGREEMENTS SIGNED
[Under the first agreement, India will provide a grant assistance worth NRs 69 million to supply iodated salt to curb goitre and other disease s related with iodine deficiency.]
Press Trust of India

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday met his Nepalese counterpart Sushil Koirala during which the two sides signed three agreements, including a NRs 69 million grant to Nepal to supply iodated salt to curb iodine deficiency diseases.
Mr. Modi, who arrived in Kathmandu on Sunday morning on his maiden official visit to Nepal, met Mr. Koirala at Singha Durbar Secretariat.
The two leaders discussed various issues including Nepal’s peace process and constitution-drafting process as well as economic issues.
They also discussed various facets of mutual relations and issues of common interest.
After the talks, Mr. Modi and Mr. Koirala witnessed the signing of three agreements.
Under the first agreement, India will provide a grant assistance worth NRs 69 million to supply iodated salt to curb goitre and other disease s related with iodine deficiency.
The second agreement was regarding the amendment of Articles 17 and 18 of the Pancheswor Multiple Project, the Himalayan Times reported.
The third agreement is about cooperation between Nepal Television and Doordarshan, the state-owned television stations of both the countries, it said.
From Singhadurbar, Mr. Modi went to the Constituent Assembly building in New Baneshwar to meet Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang.
On his way to the Constituent Assembly, Mr. Modi stopped his convoy to meet common people.
Earlier, Mr. Modi, the first Indian Prime Minister to pay a bilateral visit to Nepal in 17 years, was given a rousing welcome with his counterpart receiving him at the Tribhuvan International Airport, deviating from protocol for the purpose.
Deputy Prime Ministers Bam Dev Gautam and Prakash Man Singh were also present at the airport.
Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Pandey paid a courtesy call on Modi and briefly discussed some bilateral issues, including hydro-power, trade, energy and security.
The meeting took place at a five star hotel an hour after Mr. Modi arrived on a two-day trip, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to pay a bilateral visit to Nepal in 17 years.
“The talks were held in a very cordial and friendly atmosphere,” Mr. Pandey told PTI after the meeting.
Mr. Modi, in his pre-departure statement summing up the sentiment attached to the two-day trip, had said, “I am excited about my visit and pleased that I am able to go there within weeks of assuming office as Prime Minister.”
Mr. Modi had said that he looks forward to working with the Nepalese leadership to forge a “new relationship” by identifying steps to strengthen bilateral cooperation in key sectors, including trade and investment, hydropower, agriculture and agro-processing, environment, tourism, education, culture and sports.