FM reps a must at meets with diplomats: Yadav

BHAIRAHAWA, Nov 11 - Minister for Foreign Affairs Upendra Yadav said the trend of foreign diplomats meeting ministers and other political leaders without prior notice to the Foreign Ministry must end. Speaking at an interaction in Bhairahawa on Monday, Minister Yadav said a new regulation is in the offing that ...

"The Foreign Ministry is largely kept in the dark whenever a diplomat holds meeting with any member of the Cabinet or a political leader," said the foreign minister. "There is need for a system where diplomats will only be allowed to hold meeting with ministers or political leaders through the Foreign Ministry.

Minister Yadav also said India had expressed willingness to cooperate with Nepal in case the need to amend or scrap the 1950 treaty arises. He also said diplomatic efforts are underway to control cross-border crime.

Minister Yadav informed that at the second summit of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) on Nov. 13, member states will focus on issues including trade, counter-terrorism and trans-national crime.

The foreign minister had earlier represented Nepal at the 10th ministerial BIMSTEC meeting on 29th Aug. in New Delhi, India.