Nepali Deputy PM to lead delegation to NAM and UN

Kathmandu, Sep 9 (UNI) Nepal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs K P Sharma Oli will lead his country's delegation to the Non Aligned Movement summit to be held in Havana, Cuba next week and the 61 Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Mr Oli is scheduled to have meetings with his counterparts from a number of friendly countries on the sidelines of the General Assembly, particularly with a view to garner support for Nepal's candidature for a Non-Permanent seat of the Security Council for the term 2007-2008, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The elections will take place on October 19, the Ministry said.

Nepal and Indonesia are contesting for the seat from Asia.

Mr Oli will participate in the meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers during the UN Assembly.

Apart from a debate on the expansion of the Security Council, elections of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations will figure as one of the main agenda.

The United Nations has released a 150-point provisional agenda for the 61st regular session of the General Assembly that focuses on the maintenance of international peace and security, economic growth and sustainable development, human rights, humanitarian assistance, promotion of justice and international law, disarmament, control of drug, crimes and international terrorism and administrative aspects of the world body.

Mr Oli will attend a reception to be hosted by US President George Bush in honour of the Heads of Delegation and their spouses.

King Gyanendra had cancelled his visit to the UN last year after Mr Bush did not invite him to the reception protesting the violation of human rights in Nepal.

Nepal's political parties, Nepalese living in the US and the international community protested the planned visit of the King.

''Nepal also views that NAM should evolve a workable modality to galvanize South-South Cooperation, in view of the huge potential and vibrancy existing in a number of countries from the South,'' the foreign ministry said.

The ministry said Nepal expects the forthcoming summit in Cuba to provide opportunities to pursue shared interests of NAM countries by consensus and to further strengthen and revitalize the non-aligned movement as the collective, serious and pragmatic voice of the developing countries on the contemporary issues affecting the world in the 21st century.

UNI XC PA MSJ DS1520