DPM Koirala concludes Europe tour

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala, who had gone to Europe on February 28 to attend a High Level Segment of the 13th Session of Human Rights Council, has concluded her trip Thursday. She is arriving in Kathmandu Thursday afternoon.

Earlier, on Wednesday DPM Koirala held bilateral meetings with Alexander Stubb, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Paavo Vayrynen, Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, Ms. Liisa Hyssala, Minister for Social Affairs and Health, in Helsinki, Finland.

During the meetings, the two sides exchanged views on different aspects of Nepal-Finland relations and discussed on the ways and means to further enhance the bilateral cooperation.

DPM Koirala apprised the Finnish Foreign Minister Stubb of the on-going peace process, constitution writing, and Nepal’s priorities of inclusive development. She also apprised him of Nepal’s excellent relationship with its neighboring countries, other friendly countries and development partners including the United Nations. The two Ministers expressed satisfaction over the development that has taken place on Nepal-Finland relations.

The Foreign Minister of Finland expressed his best wishes for the successful conclusion of Nepal’s peace process and reiterated continued support of his government to Nepal. The role of UN in Nepal's peace process as well as the issues of the extension of the mandate of Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal were also touched upon during the friendly talks.

In her meeting with Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Vayrynen, DPM Koirala appreciated the development cooperation including those in market opening, water management, nutrition, and the environment management among others, extended by the government of Finland. She also highlighted Nepal’s current development priorities of reconstruction and building of infrastructure, modernization of agriculture, tourism promotion, and trade promotion.

While expressing that peace and stability are vital for enhancing development activities, Koirala stated that the government of Nepal is committed towards a logical conclusion of the ongoing peace process. The Minister for Foreign Trade of Finland mentioned that Finland has been extending duty-free and quota-free market access to the products of LDCs and emphasized on the need for a similar market access opportunity for the products of LDCs in the markets of all developed and developing countries. He also assured Koirala of continued and enhanced level of Finnish cooperation to Nepal in the days ahead.

Likewise, during the meeting with Minister for Social Affairs and Health Hyssala, both sides exchanged views on the importance of efficient delivery of social services, access to health care and strengthening the role of women in overall development process.

Minister Koirala also took stock of Finish experience of democracy, judiciary, and social security, among others, from Finish authorities.

Koirala, who started her Europe tour from Geneva, Switzerland, also visited other European countries including Belgium, Luxembourg and Norway. She is accompanied by her advisor Chiranjibi Nepal and Ram Krishna Yadav, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. nepalnews.com