Nepal, Russia to hold third bilateral consultation in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: The third meeting of the Nepal-Russia Bilateral Consultation Mechanism is taking place in Kathmandu today as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai leads the Nepali delegation. The Russian delegation is headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrey Yurevich Rudenko, who is visiting Nepal.

The talks are expected to review the overall state of Nepal‑Russia ties and consider ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, education, culture and technical assistance. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and international matters and explore collaboration at multilateral forums.

At an 'Open Dialogue' hosted by the Russian Embassy in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Rudenko offered condolences for the loss of life and property caused by recent floods in Nepal and said Russia stood ready to provide assistance within its capacity. He praised Prime Minister Balendra Shah for drawing international attention to Nepal’s climate vulnerabilities at the 81st UN General Assembly and said climate change was an 'alarm bell' for the world.

Rudenko announced 52 scholarship places for Nepali students to pursue higher education in Russia in the coming academic year.

During the visit, Nepal is expected to raise concerns about Nepali nationals reportedly recruited into the Russian armed forces, including those reported missing or killed, and to seek compensation for affected families.

Nepal and Russia signed a Protocol on Consultations in 1995 to enable regular exchanges on bilateral, regional and international affairs. The first meeting of the mechanism took place at Foreign Secretary level in Moscow in 2007, and the second meeting was held in Kathmandu on April 17, 2018.

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