Nepal unveils new commerce policy

August 17th, 2009 KATHMANDU - The Unified CPN (Maoist) has told Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal not to sign any agreements including the Pancheshwar multi-purpose hydro-electric project during his visit to India from August 18. During an all-party meeting called by Madhav Kumar Nepal in Singhadurbar on Sunday, Maoist leaders told Nepal not to sign any agreements with India without the consensus of the parties and asked him to focus on bilateral cooperation.

August 15th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Nepal's Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra Mahato has said that Nepal and India will ink two key treaties to boost bilateral trade and provide more trade facilities during Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal's visit to New Delhi from August 18. Talking to reporters here, Mahato said: "Nepal and India will sign at least two treaties to expand trade and provide more trade facilities including opening new border points for movement of goods between the two countries." Mahato, who will accompany Nepal during the visit said, "The amendments in Nepal-India Trade Treaty - 1996 and a Treaty to Control Unauthorized Trade are the two documents on which the two nations will put their seal during Nepals visit." The other two treaties are aimed at eliminating double taxation and agreement on promotion and protection of investments.

August 10th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Nepal Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala left for New Delhi on Monday morning to prepare the groundwork for the impending visit of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. Koirala flew to New Delhi along with Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya and Koirala's Foreign Affairs Advisor Dr Chiranjivi Nepal.

August 9th, 2009 KATHMANDU/NEW DELHI - Nepal Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala will undertake a five-day visit of India from August 10 to 14. Koirala will arrive in the Indian capital shortly before noon Monday.

June 9th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood said on Tuesday that a joint committee is working towards finalisation of a boundary map between India and Nepal to resolve the border issue that has long been in contention. "The technical-level committee is working towards finalisation of the map," Rakesh Sood said.

June 9th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Nepal and India signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) aimed at fostering cooperation under the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework here on Monday. The MOUs were signed by Foreign Secretary of Nepal, Gyan Chandra Acharya and Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Rakesh Sood.

May 27th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has congratulated his Nepalese counterpart Madhav Kumar Nepal on his appointment as Prime Minister and invited the latter to visit India.

May 25th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood and United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) chief Karen Ladgren have separately met newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the latter's residence, Koteshwor. They congratulated Nepal on his election as the new Prime Minister and extended best wishes for his successful term.

May 23rd, 2009 KATHMANDU - Madhav Kumar Nepal, a UML (Unified Marxist Leninist) nominee, was chosen as the new Prime Minister of Nepal in the Legislature-Parliamentary session of the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Saturday. Madhav, in the absence of any challenger, was chosen unopposed.

May 17th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Veteran communist leader Madhav Kumar Nepal is all set to become new Prime Minister of Nepal after getting the backing of 22 of the 24 parliamentary parties. Twenty two parties including the Nepali Congress, the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MFJ), the Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party, the Nepal Sadbhawana Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the CPN-United have submitted the signatures of the lawmakers informing the CA chairman that they support Nepal as the Prime Minister of the new coalition government.

May 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - There is a sense of insecurity among Indian investors in Nepal as the country drifts towards political turmoil, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has said. 'Industries are badly hit by acute shortages of power and raw materials, petrol and diesel supply have run out and labour unrest has struck at the very heart of businesses,' FICCI said in a report.

May 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - 'Concerned' over the crisis in Nepal, India's ruling Congress party Monday said 'democratic process is necessary' for stability in that country. 'Its an internal matter of Nepal.

April 19th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Nepali Prime Minister Prachanda has told British Under Secretary of State for Defense and Minister for Veterans Kevan Jones that the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) may be asked to stop work after the integration of the army and the rehabilitation of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) combatants by July. Jones, in his departure statement at the end of his five-day visit to Nepal, said that the people of Nepal could be assured of Britain's steadfast support, both for peace building and for development.

March 24th, 2009 KATHMANDU - Power Trading Corporation (PTC) of India has proposed to supply additional 500 MW electricity to Nepal. Nepalnews quoted Shankar Prasad Koirala, secretary at the Ministry of Water Resources, as saying that PTC had stated in a letter to the ministry that it could provide 500 MW in 18 months if Nepal government agreed to its proposal.

January 27th, 2009 SILIGURI - Four men, including a man and his son, were arrested near the India-Nepal border near here Wednesday for possessing illegal arms and possible involvement in smuggling and drug trafficking, officials said Wednesday. The arrests were made from Panitanki area in West Bengal's Siliguri sub-division by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) that guards the borders with Nepal and Bhutan.