Nepal PM arrives, hopes to strengthen ties with India

New Delhi, Aug.18 (ANI): Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal arrived here on Tuesday on a five-day official visit, as the head of a 64-member delegation.

His spouse Gayatri Nepal, six cabinet ministers including the Foreign, Finance and Energy Ministers, high-level government officers, businessmen and journalists are accompanying him.

Speaking to reporters soon after his arrival, Nepal said: "It is a goodwill visit. There is no particular agenda before me. So, I think, this will strengthen relations between Nepal and India and will lead to a new height."

This is Nepal's first visit to New Delhi after assuming the office of Prime Minister.

On Wednesday, the visiting dignitary will lay a wreath at Rajghat, the memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation.

Prime Minister Nepal will then meet External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna at the Hotel Oberoi. He will proceed to meet President Pratibha Devisingh Patil for about 30-minutes.e will attend and address a business luncheon meeting hosted jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM).

On Wednesday evening, he will call on Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari at the latter's official residence and will meet UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her 10, Janpath residence.hereafter, he will proceed to Hyderbad House for delegation level talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. A signing of bilateral agreements will follow the meeting.

Although the Pancheshwar multi-purpose project will be discussed, no specific agreement will be signed. The main opposition CPN (Maoist) has warned the government not to sign any agreement related to the Pancheshwar project without a consensus.

On Thursday, Nepal will meet Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram. In the evening, he will address a meeting of intellectuals and academia at the India International Centre.

He will leave for a daylong visit to Mumbai on Friday and will return to Kathmandu on Saturday afternoon. (ANI)