KATHMANDU: France consented to support Nepal to operate and manage a satellite. Gokul Prasad Baskota, has signed an agreement with France to seek the support and establish a security printing in Nepal.

The French government would provide concessional financial aid and technical support to Nepal in order to enforce its plan to operate and manage the satellite in the orbital slot provided by the International Tele-communications Union.

During his visit to France, a Letter of Intent was signed at the ministerial level to establish a security printing press and operate the satellite. The agreement to establish the security printing was reached between Nepal’s security printing center and the INGROUPE, a company owned by the French government. Likewise, Nepal Telecommunications Authority and Thales Alenia Space of France signed the agreement on operation of the satellite. The work of the security printing shall be completed within three years and that of the satellite within thirty months, said Minister Baskota.

During the bilateral talks held with State Minister Lemonye, matters relating to further consolidating Nepal-France relations through exchange of high-levels visits to mark the 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries were discussed.

Minister Baskota also urged the State Minister to encourage French investors to attend the investment summit to be held in Kathmandu from 29 to 30 March.