Kathmandu: Chairperson of the National Assembly Narayan Prasad Dahal held a courtesy meeting with Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkiye, Numan Kurtulmus, in Istanbul.
Chair Dahal, who is in Istanbul to attend the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), met Speaker Kurtulmuş on the sidelines of the event. The meeting discussed bilateral relations, matters of mutual interest, and parliamentary cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, Chair Dahal emphasized the need to further strengthen and deepen ties between Nepal and Turkiye through parliamentary collaboration. He expressed Nepal’s interest in enhancing the exchange of parliamentary experiences, promoting mutual visits, and forming parliamentary friendship groups.
Recalling that diplomatic relations between the two countries have remained cordial and based on mutual respect for more than six decades, Chair Dahal requested the establishment of a Turkish embassy in Nepal to further deepen bilateral ties. He noted that Nepali citizens currently have to travel to New Delhi for services related to Turkiye, and expressed confidence that opening a Turkish embassy in Nepal, along with concluding a labour agreement, would facilitate greater cooperation between the two countries.
Chair Dahal also thanked the Government and Parliament of Turkiye for their warm hospitality during the IPU Assembly.
On the occasion, Speaker Kurtulmus welcomed Chair Dahal and the Nepali parliamentary delegation to Istanbul. He stated that Turkiye remains committed to further strengthening bilateral relations with Nepal and expressed a positive outlook toward opening a Turkish embassy in Nepal.
He also mentioned that the Turkish government currently provides a limited quota of educational scholarships for Nepal and expressed commitment to increasing the number of scholarships and expanding bilateral trade between the two countries.
Referring to the upcoming COP31 scheduled to be held in Turkiye in November, Speaker Kurtulmus requested Nepal’s support for Turkiye’s leadership. In response, Chair Dahal extended best wishes and expressed Nepal’s positive support for Turkiye’s leadership of COP31.
Members of the Nepali parliamentary delegation attending the IPU Assembly were also present during the meeting.
