KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday returned home after attending the BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit in Goa of India. He had left for the Indian city on Saturday. Comments at airport Upon his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport today, Dahal said he held meetings with leaders of various nations in a way that would promote Nepal's image in the international community. Meanwhile, he said he held talks with available members of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) with an objective to create an environment conducive to hold the postponed 19th SAARC Summit at the earliest. All member states talked to are positive towards it, he said. Clarification on 'trilateral meeting' Meanwhile, Dahal also took the opportunity to clarify on the so-called 'trilateral meeting' among himself, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said it was an unplanned meeting and just a positive, but rare, coincidence which had taken place while he was waiting to return to his hotel. Issues pertaining to Nepal's peace process and trilateral cooperation were discussed in the meeting, which lasted for around 20 minutes, he added. 'I stressed that the trilateral cooperation among us would help Nepal get benefits from your economic growth and development,' he informed.

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Dahal's Goa engagements During his Goa sojourn, Dahal had addressed the BIMSTEC Leaders' Retreat and the Outreach Summit on Sunday. Likewise, he had held separate meetings with Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay among others on the sidelines of the event. Dahal was accompanied by his spouse Sita Dahal. Other members of the delegation included Foreign Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat, Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Tanka Mani Sharma and other senior government officials.

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