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Menon meets Koirala

Ameet Dhakal

Nepal thanks India for support

KATHMANDU: India's Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon had a series of meetings here on Thursday with Nepal's high ranking officials and senior political leaders.

Mr. Menon called on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Khadga Prasad Oli, and the second Deputy Prime Minister, Amik Serchan.

Mr. Menon also met the former Prime Ministers, Sher Bajadur Deuba and Surya Bahadur Thapa, and the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) general secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal.

During his meeting with Mr. Oli, Mr. Menon said External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee would visit Nepal on December 17 to extend the SAARC Summit invitation to Nepal. The next SAARC Summit will be held in India in early April 2007.

Mr. Menon did not entertain media queries after each of these meetings but said he would speak during a press conference on Friday.

Sources in the Prime Minister's Office The Hindu that Mr. Koirala thanked Mr. Menon for India's support in the restoration of peace and democracy in Nepal and during the crucial transition. Nepal-Bhutan desk chief at the External Affairs Ministry, Pankaj Sharan and the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, S. S. Mukherjee were present.

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Menon meets Koirala

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