Nepal, the U.S. agree to take bilateral ties to next level

KATHMANDU, Dec. 19 -- Nepal and the United States of America have agreed to take the bilateral ties to the next level.

The two sides reached the understanding to take their seven-decade long during a meeting between visiting Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and US Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo at the State Department in Washington DC.

The two countries held their bilateral consultative meeting after a gap of 17 years.

According to a press statement issued by the Nepalese Embassy in Washington DC, Nepal and the United States of America have agreed to widen and deepen the seven-decade long partnership to take their relationship to the next level.

The statement further said that the two sides discussed the overall state of bilateral relations and cooperation.

On the occasion, Foreign Minister Gyawali highlighted the priorities of the Government of Nepal in line with its goal to graduate from LDCs status at an early date and become a middle-income country by 2030.

Likewise, the two sides exchanged views on enhancing political relationship through exchange of visits and the ways and means for promoting economic cooperation between the two countries, with the particular focus on the areas of trade, investment and development assistance, according to the statement.

Gyawali's visit to the United States comes at a time when the United States is willing to establish 'strategic partnership' with Nepal as part of its 'Indo-Pacific strategy'.

Gyawali is on a four-day visit to the United States since Monday.