KATHMANDU, July 13

Ambassador of India to Nepal Ranjit Rae on Monday met Unified CPN-Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and discussed issues related to his visit to India, which begins tomorrow.

According to Dahal’s personal secretary Chudamani Khadka, Dahal will discuss trilateral ( India-Nepal-China ) cooperation, Nepal’s constitution making process and bilateral issues.

Khadka said Dahal will discuss trilateral cooperation in a comprehensive manner since both India and China are now positive about the concept.

Khadka said Dahal will also speak about political developments, including efforts to promulgate the constitution, with Indian leaders including Indian PM Narendra Modi and President Pranab Mukherjee.

Dahal will also travel to the Indian PM’s home state of Gujrat to take stock of reconstruction efforts that the state started after the devastating earthquake of 2001.

Meanwhile, Rae also met senior CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and discussed issues related to the new constitution and bilateral cooperation.

According to Nepal’s personal secretary Mohan Gautam, issues related to the impacts of the draft constitution on the constitution making process, disgruntled groups’ concerns and bilateral issues were discussed between Nepal and Rae.

Issuing a press release on behalf of Nepal, Gautam said Nepal told Ambassador Rae that efforts will be made to address the concerns of disgruntled groups till the last hour. Nepal told Rae that parties were working sincerely to end the political transition by promulgating the constitution as soon as possible.

Ambassador Rae told Nepal that India wanted to see the new constitution being framed as soon as possible and Nepal charting a new course of prosperity, according to the release. Rae added that India, as a good neighbour, was ready to help Nepal’s development efforts. Nepal and Rae also discussed implementation of understandings reached between the two countries.