Kathmandu, July 28

Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey has stressed close cooperation between Nepal and Maldives in international forums to promote and protect the interests of small countries.

In a meeting with his Maldivian counterpart Dunya Maumoon in Male yesterday, Pandey stated the need to further consolidate the SAARC process to benefit the people of the region, according to MoFA.“Our two countries should work together in international forums to promote the interests of smaller countries,” MoFA said in a statement. Pandey, who returned home today, had taken part in the celebration of the 50th year of a from the UK.

He said Maldives’ journey has been marked by progress in institutionalisation of democracy, economic gro-wth, development of basic infrastructure and prosperity of people.