Kathmandu, Aug 16: Amid the political crisis in Nepal, China's top security czar arrived here today along with a 25-member delegation to discuss "mutual concerns" and promote bilateral ties.
 Zhou Yongkang, a Politburo Standing Committee member of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC), will meet President Ram Baran Yadav, government officials and leaders of Nepal's major political parties during his three-day stay here.
 His "goodwill" visit comes at a time when Beijing's influence has grown significantly in the Himalayan nation recent years.
 He is also expected to meet Nepal's outgoing Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal as well as Prachanda, the Chairman of the Maoist party. Zhou will also meet Nepal's Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav.
 Zhou spoke highly of the progress in China-Nepal ties in recent years, stressing that his visit is aimed at enhancing mutual trust, promoting friendship and expanding cooperation between the two neighbours.
 Zhou said he looks forward to exchanging views with leaders of the Nepalese government and political parties on China-Nepal ties, inter-party relations and mutual concerns between the two sides to push forward the comprehensive partnership of cooperation between Beijing and Kathmandu, China's official Xinhua news agency reported.
 During his talks with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala and other senior leaders here today, Zhou stressed on the need to forge consensus among political parties of Nepal to complete the peace process and Constitution-drafting, NC leader Arjun Narsingh Khatri Chhetri, who was also present at the meeting, said. The Chinese delegation also "underlined the need to strengthen and make effective traditional relations between Nepal and China," Chhetri said.
 "There is a need to take steps to strengthen party-to- party relations, government level and people level relations," Zhou was quoted as telling Nepali Congress leaders.
 This is the highest-level Chinese delegation that visited Nepal after the country turned into a republic four years ago, Chhetri said.
 The Chinese leaders also handed an invitation to Nepali Congress leaders to pay a visit to China, he said.
 Zhou, who is in charge of China's security apparatus, is expected to press for boosting security cooperation along the Nepal-Tibet border and ensuring that Kathmandu continues to clamp down on anti-China activities of Tibetan exiles within this country's borders.
 During the visit, an agreement on economic and technical cooperation will be signed between Nepal and China, Kathmandu Post reported.
 Zhou is also secretary of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee.
 The visit comes just days after Khanal quit, citing a lack of progress in the peace process that ended 10 years of civil war against Maoist rebels in 2006.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
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