KATHMANDU, March 4: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat returned home today after attending the 34th meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva, Switzerland.
He had left for Geneva on February 25 leading a Nepali delegation to the UNHRC session.
Talking to journalists at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon his arrival, Minister Mahat said that during the five days he was in Geneva he addressed to the UNHRC 34th session and held separate meetings with his counterparts and ministers from different countries as well as with the high officials of the United Nations.
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He also stated that Nepal has fielded its candidacy for the member of the UNHRC for the period of 2018 to 2020. The Minister for Foreign Affairs added that while in Geneva, he expressed Nepal's unwavering commitment to the protection and respect of human rights at different fora and also urged the international community to vote for Nepal.
In his meeting with the Swiss Foreign Minister, he urged for financial support in Nepal's post-earthquake reconstruction as well as in other sectors. Similarly, during his meeting with the Hungarian Foreign Minister, the latter informed that Hungary would provide an assistance of over Rs 11 billion for hydropower production sector and scholarships to 10 Nepali students every year.
During his meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Minister Mahat said, he urged the High Commissioner to help create an environment conducive for the repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees back to their homeland and for managing the humanitarian assistance for the period they are in Nepal.
Likewise, Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Mahat met with the Australian Minister for International Development and Pacific Affairs while in Geneva, during which occasion he requested for the Australian government's assistance in the production of skilled human resources in Nepal through vocational and technical education.
In response to a question related to the dispute over the nomination for ambassadors to different countries, the Minister for Foreign Affairs stated that he had forwarded the names of 12 individuals on behalf the Ministry for appointment to the ambassador and he came to know that the Council of Ministers had later added one name to the list he had submitted before.
He said originally the nominees for appointment as ambassadors were selected on an inclusive basis and the Ministry later made changes as regard some candidates based on the information that it received later.
Mahat said he has no comments regarding the decision on this issue made by the Council of Ministers while he was away in Geneva. RSS
