KATHMANDU: Narayan Prasad Dahal, Chairman of Nepal’s National Assembly, held a courtesy meeting with Numan Kurtulmuş, Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, in Istanbul on Saturday.
Dahal is in Istanbul to attend the 152nd General Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). According to his secretariat, the meeting focused on bilateral relations, mutual interests and parliamentary cooperation between Nepal and Turkey.
During the talks, Dahal emphasized the need to further strengthen ties through parliamentary collaboration. He expressed interest in expanding exchanges of parliamentary experience, mutual visits, and forming a parliamentary friendship group.
Noting that Nepal and Turkey have enjoyed cordial relations based on mutual respect for over six decades, Dahal urged the establishment of a Turkish embassy in Nepal to deepen cooperation. He pointed out that Nepali citizens currently need to travel to New Delhi for Turkey-related consular services, and said opening an embassy in Kathmandu, along with a potential labor agreement, would ease such processes.
Dahal also thanked the Turkish government and parliament for their hospitality during the IPU General Assembly.
Speaker Kurtulmuş welcomed the Nepali delegation and expressed readiness to further strengthen bilateral ties. He said Turkey is positive about opening an embassy in Nepal.
He also noted that Turkey provides a limited number of educational scholarships to Nepali students and expressed commitment to increasing the quota, as well as boosting trade relations between the two countries.
Kurtulmuş further informed that Turkey will host COP-31 in November and sought Nepal’s support for its leadership.
Members of the Nepali parliamentary delegation attending the IPU Assembly were also present at the meeting.
Comment