Nepal sent a proposal to the member countries to hold a meeting on October 10 during the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations
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Nepal, the chairperson of the South Asian Regional Organization (SAARC), has proposed to hold a sideline meeting at the SAARC foreign minister level during the 79th United Nations (UN) General Assembly to be held next month in New York. The General Assembly begins on September 10.
The high-level discussion of the Mahasabha will be held from September 24 to 29. Apart from Afghanistan, the heads of state or government of SAARC as well as the foreign ministers of all countries are participating on this occasion
SAARC has members Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Although Afghanistan is a member, the Taliban-led government that came there in 2021 has not yet been recognized by the international community. Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Nepal has proposed on September 26 (October 10) for the sideline meeting of the SAARC Foreign Ministers during the General Assembly through the SAARC Secretariat.
As the regional conflict between India and Pakistan remains the same in New York, after 2020, the SAARC Foreign Minister level sideline meeting has not been held during the General Assembly. In 2020, a virtual meeting was held due to the Corona epidemic. At that time, the then Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali led the meeting. Representatives of India and Pakistan participated in the meeting. Then Narayan Khadka and NP Saud became foreign ministers. Both tried to hold a sideline meeting during the General Assembly but could not proceed due to disagreement between India and Pakistan.
This time Foreign Minister Arju Rana Deuba has sent a proposal for the meeting. But the member countries have not yet sent their response. "Especially based on the response of India and Pakistan, it will be known whether the meeting will take place or not," said a foreign official. Since 2014, there has been no other SAARC summit, so Nepal has been the chairman. It is a tradition that the president holds the SAARC foreign minister level sideline meeting. Nepal is constantly trying to create an atmosphere of trust between India and Pakistan by holding SAARC ministerial level meetings. "We are trying to hold a sideline meeting on our side and through the SAARC secretariat," said the official of foreign affairs.
The then Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka led the Nepali delegation in the 76th General Assembly of 2021. Due to India-Pakistan dispute and the establishment of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, the sideline meeting of the SAARC Foreign Minister level could not be held that year when representatives of the Taliban and the previous government participated in the General Assembly. A team led by Foreign Secretary Bharatraj Paudyal participated in the 77th General Assembly. The then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal led the Nepalese team in the 78th General Assembly. The foreign minister was NP Saud. In these last three General Assemblies, SAARC foreign minister level sideline meeting could not be held.
