Kathmandu (TIP): Nepal’s newly-appointed Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka said on Wednesday that he would work towards maintaining friendly and balanced relations with India and China and forge national consensus with political parties on matters of foreign relations. Khadka, 72, was sworn in as the Minister for Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to Khadka in a ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, Shital Niwas, in the presence of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Talking to reporters after assuming the office, Khadka said he would work towards ensuring friendly, amicable and balanced relations with both the immediate neighbours — India and China. Arguing that the foreign policy of a country is not specific to any political party, the senior Nepali Congress leader said he would work towards forging national consensus with other political parties on matters of foreign relations, a website reported.

He also said the issue of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact Agreement would also be resolved, keeping in view the country’s larger interests.

Under the US $500 million MCC programme, the US government would provide grant assistance which would mainly be utilised on strengthening Nepal’s transmission line to facilitate the export of hydro-electricity to India in the near future and also improve the country’s road networks.

Khadka is the fifth minister to be appointed in the Deuba government, which was formed on July 13. With his appointment, there are now seven ministers in the government, including Deuba, and one minister of state. — PTI