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Koirala arrives on week-long visit

Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala arrived in New Delhi Monday on a week-long official visit, for talks with Indian leaders mainly focussed on forging a long-term strategic partnership with India.

Koirala, accompanied by foreign minister Chakra Prasad Bastola, secretaries from key ministries and a 34-member business delegation, will hold wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on regional, international and issues of mutual concern Tuesday.

New Delhi is likely to convey its security concerns over Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency's operations against India continuing from Nepal. India has said it has "evidence" of ISI activities in the Himalayan Kingdom.

Koirala will also call on President K R Narayanana and Vice President Krishan Kant, besides meeting ministers for external affairs, home, defence, finance, water resources, human resource development and the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission.

He will also hold parleys with Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime ministers P V Narasimha Rao, I K Gujral and Chandra Shekhar.

Koirala's parleys with Indian leaders are expected to cover the entire gamut of bilateral relations, an external affairs ministry official said.

The two sides will review the outcome of recent bilateral exchanges and explore possible areas of future co-operation between the two friendly countries.

PTI

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