Paanchkhal, January 9:

King Gyanendra has observed that it was a matter of pride that Nepal’s participation in the world peace endeavours has been on the rise as a result of the work efficiency that the Royal Nepalese Army has exhibited in the past in peace keeping missions in various parts of the world.

The King made this remark in the message today to the third contingent of the Kali Bahadur Battalion leaving for Haiti and the fifth contingent of the Bhairavnath Battalion leaving for Congo on a peace keeping mission at the call of the United Nations.

In the message, the King has said, “We are happy that as a nation that believes in peace, development and non-alignment, Nepal’s Royal Nepalese Army has been contributing to establishment of peace in different parts of the world for the past five decades.”

The King lauded the Kali Bahadur Battalion and the Bhairavdal Battalion for their notable work in safeguarding the national integrity and the contribution to the country and people in the present adverse situation.

The King has, in the message, expressed the confidence that the experience gained in the past as a peace keeping force would help the two battalions to display a high level of work efficiency.

A report from Biratnagar said King Gyanendra and Queen Komal are scheduled to visit Okhaldhunga district of Sagarmatha zone tomorrow.