BIMSTEC not related to strategy and security: Minister Gyawali

Kathmandu, Sept 9 ,,   Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradip Kumar Gyawali, has said efforts were on to concentrate BIMSTEC in the economic development.
At today’s meeting of the International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives, Minister Gyawali reiterated that the BIMSTEC was not the organization related to strategy and security, so its activities were focused on economic and technical cooperation.
According to him, Nepal has been attending the regional and global organizations based on independence, non alignment and peace. In such forums, government has given priority to national welfare.
The Minister made it clear that no discussion and decision was made relating to joint military drill during the recent BIMSTEC summit. While talking about security, new issues as disaster management and climate change are also worth mentioning, he added.
Presiding over the Committee meeting as the senior most member, former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, pointed out the need of adequate discussion in the parliament and government channels before taking any decision on security and diplomacy.
“Any decision the country takes must be centered on country’s sovereignty and broader welfare of the Nepalis,” he argued.