KATHMANDU: Australian and Sri Lankan Ambassadors to Nepal had separate courtesy calls on Vice-President Nanda Bahadur Pun. Australian Ambassador Peter Budd and Sri Lankan Ambassador WS Pereira paid courtesy calls on Vice-President Pun on Friday.

During both the meetings held at the Office of the Vice-President, Vice-President Pun stressed the need of widening the area of cooperation between the countries to reduce Nepal’s trade deficit. Saying that Nepal was incurring trade deficit with Australia, he said that the Australian government should help to increase import of Nepali products, according to Pun’s Press Advisor Manoj Gharti.

Vice-President Pun said Nepal-Australia relations, established 57 years ago, is being strengthened at public level too. In response, the Australian Ambassador said Australia wanted to make its relations stronger with Nepal. He also said that the Australian government had been encouraging the private sector for investment in Nepal.

Similarly, during the meeting with the Sri Lankan Ambassador, Vice-President Pun expressed hope of Sri Lankan President’s visit to Nepal soon. He said that both the countries should take initiatives to bring Nepal’s trade deficit with Sri Lanka in balance.

In response, Sri Lankan Ambassador Pereira said that his President would visit Nepal soon. Sating that Nepal is the centre of devotion for Sri Lankan Buddhists, he said around 50,000 Sri Lankan people visit Lumbini annually.