KATHMANDU: Newly elected Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has said that high-level international visits would take place in Nepal in 2018.

Speaking at an interaction programme organised in the Capital today, Minister Gyawali said, “Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Nepal this year, and foreign visits from Nepal will also be made.”

“We are currently preparing for the visits of dignitaries from both the countries. Homework is underway for the same,” said the Minister.

“We have sent invitation to the Indian Prime Minister through Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, during her recent visit to Nepal,” he added.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will also be going on his first official foreign visit soon after being appointed as the PM, stated Gyawali indicating that PM Oli’s first official visit might be to India. However, the decision is yet to be made. “The schedule for the visit of President Bidya Devi Bhandari and PM KP Sharma Oli are yet to be decided.”

High-level dignitaries from Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America will also be visiting Nepal in the year 2018, assured Gyawali.

“I got a chance to meet the Chinese President during my visit to China. He was positive about his Nepal visit. His visit was scheduled in 2016 but it got cancelled. However, President Xi Jinping is positive about the upcoming visit,” assured the Foreign Affair Minister.

Minister Gyawali further committed to strengthen the bilateral relations with India and China, and focus on the economic development of the country.

“We are not against any of our neighbouring countries but we will not let anyone use our motherland to boost their ego either,” said the Minister.

Meanwhile, speaking on a different note, Minister Gyawali further assured that the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal will join the current government soon.