Pranab arrives in Kathmandu, meets Koirala

Kathmandu, Dec 17 (UNI) External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee arrived here today to hand over the invitation of the 14th SAARC summit,scheduled in New Delhi next year, to Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

''India always wanted peace in Nepal and is ready to help,'' he said to Journalists upon arriving at the Tribhuwan International Airport. Mr Mukherjee is on a one day official visit to Nepal.

Meanwhile, Mr Mukherjee met Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the latter's residence in Baluwatar this morning and handed over the official invitation to him.

The Indian Foreign Minister is scheduled to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister K P Sharma Oli, NC-D President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (UML) General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal.

This will be Mr Mukherjee's first trip to Nepal after taking charge of the External Affairs Ministry. He is accompanied by Pankaj Saran, the Chief of Nepal-Bhutan desk at the Ministry.

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