Kathmandu, November 27:

Cooperative Development of Operational Safety and Continuing Airworthiness Under ICAO Technical Co-operation Programme’s (COSCAP) project in Nepal should be given continuity, said Tourism Minister Pradeep Gyawali.

At a time when Nepal is witnessing air accidents due to its terrains, COSCAP’s project in the country is necessary, he said.

COSCAP’s programme in Nepal should focus on minimising air accidents in the country, he said. The term of COSCAP’s project in Nepal ends in 2007.

Tourism Secretary Madhav Ghimire said he hoped that COSCAP’s 16th steering committee meeting which began here today will be a “milestone in aviation safety enhancement.”

Director generals of civil aviation authorities of South Asia and officials of the International Civil Aviation Organisation and officials of the Tourism Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal are participating in the three-day meeting. Mohan Adhikary, director general of CAAN and chairperson of the steering committee’s meeting, said the meeting would contribute in making COSCAP’s future programmes more effective.