SAARC Region can largely benefit from the achievements of Nepal's peace process: Minister Dr Rijal

Interview with Communications Minister Dr Rijal in light of coming     SAARC          Summit

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            SAARC Region can largely benefit from the achievements of Nepal's   peace   process: Minister Dr Rijal

            (Yekraj Pathak/Prakash Silwal)

           

Kathmandu, Nov 8: Minister for Information and Communications Dr Minendra Rijal has said that during the SAARC Summit, a discussion and experience exchange programme would be held among the leaders of the SAARC countries on how they could take advantages from the achievement of Nepal's peace process.

            In an exclusive interview with the National News Agency (RSS) in view of upcoming SAARC Summit, Minister Dr Rijal, who is also the Spokesperson of Nepal government, stated the member countries of the SAARC region which also went through some sort of conflict and violence in the past, have been keenly observing the important progress that Nepal made in the peace process.

He was of the opinion that when it comes to SAARC countries facing common challenges in terms of peace building, they could learn a great deal from the Nepal's achievements in this regard.

           

Nepal was paving its way to prosperity, he said, and stressed the need to invite more investment for the development of hydropower, tourism and infrastructure in the country.

            In response to a query about the status of constitution drafting process, he said, "The work is in the progress."

The Minister said, "The peace process of Nepal will reach a final stage once the new constitution institutionalizes the federal democratic republic in the country."

Common Identity and Challenges

The Summit, which will serve as a platform to share ideas and experiences on the issues as common identity of the SAARC region, culture, common challenges, among other among the SAARC leaders, will yield a special emphasis on the development of infrastructure and connectivity at the regional level, Dr Rijal shared.

Since SAARC countries are serious on achieving Millennium Development Goals by 2015, the imminent Summit will also lay a foundation to prepare a work procedure after assessing the progress made so far by the respective countries in this regard, Minister Rijal explained.

The Summit, which is taking place on November 26-27 in Kathmandu,  is also believed to call for a global attention towards the mitigation of the commonplace challenge as the climate change effects.