India describes Nepal President's visit as historic

New Delhi, Feb 18 (ANI): New Delhi on Thursday described Nepal President Ram Baran Yadav's four-day India visit as historic.

At the invitation of President Pratibha Patil, President Yadav paid a State visit to India from February 15 to 18. This was Yadav's first visit abroad after assuming the office of the Nepal's President.

India and Nepal share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation characterised by open borders, deep-rooted people-to-people contacts and extensive cooperation, an MEA statement said.

The visit of President Yadav to India has helped further strengthen the friendly ties that exist between both the countries. The visit was in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchange of visits between the two countries.

President Yadav during his visit met with the Indian President Pratibha Patil and conveyed that India's relations with Nepal were unique and special in every sense.

President Patil reiterated India's commitment to assist Nepal and its friendly people in keeping with their wishes and priorities. Reciprocating the sentiments, the President Yadav conveyed his deep appreciation for India's support for the development of Nepal and highlighted that Nepal and India were bound by ancient history, geography, culture, and religion and shared values.

A banquet was hosted by President Patil in honour of Yadav.

Besides, President Yadav and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh exchanged views and held discussions on issues of mutual interest and concern. Both expressed their satisfaction at the progress in implementation of decisions taken during the visit of Nepal's Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to India in August 2009.

President Yadav emphasised the importance of close relations between India and Nepal and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the continued support from India for the economic development of Nepal.

While Prime Minister Singh conveyed that India attached the highest priority to further strengthening relations with Nepal in every sphere and expressed full support for the ongoing peace process and efforts to bring about economic transformation in Nepal.

Dr. Sing said that India would be happy to extend any assistance that Nepal would like India to render in this regard and hosted a lunch in honour of the President Yadav. To facilitate economic and infrastructure development in Nepal, Singh announced extension of a new concessional Line of Credit for US 250 million dollars.

Prime Minister Singh conveyed that India would supply 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat, 25,000 metric tonnes of rice and 10,000 metric tonnes of yellow peas dal to Nepal, in response to Nepal's request for supply of food items. He also conveyed India's readiness to supply 200,000 metric tonnes of wheat, if required by Nepal.

During President Yadav's visit both the countries signed Air Services Agreement (ASA) and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for extension of railway lines to five cross-border points along the Indo-Nepal border, on the establishment of Nepal-Bharat Maitri Polytechnic at Hetauda and on the establishment of Nepal-Bharat Maitri Sabha Griha in Birgunj. (ANI)