KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 7

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Narayan Prakash Saud, will be leaving here for Perth, Australia this evening to attend the 7th Indian Ocean Conference being jointly organized by the Government of Australia and India Foundation on February 9-10.

The Minister is scheduled to address the Conference being held on the theme of 'Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean,' on 10 February, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

While in Perth, Minister Saud will hold a bilateral meeting with Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia. In the margins of the Conference, the Minister is also scheduled to hold meetings with participating heads of delegation from friendly countries.

He will visit Wellington, New Zealand for a bilateral meeting with Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand on February 14. The meeting will be preceded by the Second Foreign Ministry Consultation Meeting between the senior officials of the Ministries.

The Minister will be accompanied by his spouse Jyotshna Adhikari Saud and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ambassador of Nepal to Australia, Kailash Raj Pokharel, will also join the Nepali delegation.

He will return to Kathmandu on February 15.