The ceremony was held following talks between Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko and Chair of the National Assembly of the Federal Parliament of Nepal Ganesh Prasad Timilsina.
Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matvienko met with Chair of the National Assembly of the Federal Parliament of Nepal Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, who was in Russia on an official visit.
The Speaker mentioned the busy agenda of the Nepalese MP’s visit and pointed out that it would help strengthen the entire range of Russian-Nepali relations and would launch a regular dialogue between Russian and Nepalese MPs. “We are interested in the development of multidirectional and multifaceted cooperation with Nepal, which is our long-standing partner in South Asia, in order to elevate our relations to a higher level,” she said. According to Valentina Matvienko, ties between Russia and Nepal have traditionally been based on the principles of mutual respect and a balance of each other’s interests.
The Federation Council Speaker noted that evidence of strong friendship between the people of Russia and Nepal were the events in 2015, when the destructive earthquake hit Nepal. “Russia was one of the first countries to respond to that crisis by sending a rescue and medical team to the emergency zone,” she said.
The high officials discussed trade and economic cooperation and the expansion of contacts between the two countries’ financial institutions. “We appreciate that Nepal has not joined the Western financial and economic sanctions against Russia,” the Speaker said and called on MPs to promote interaction between the two countries’ business quarters more energetically. She said the time had come to build up economic cooperation.
Ganesh Prasad Timilsina spoke about Nepal’s interest in Russian investment and the import of grain, mineral fertilisers and cross-country vehicles.
Valentina Matvienko invited Nepalese businesspeople to attend the St Petersburg International Economic Forum, the Eastern Economic Forum and trade exhibitions held in Russia.
The Federation Council Speaker said it would be useful to redouble efforts to improve the legal framework of the implementation of the parties’ business contracts.
Regarding bilateral parliamentary ties, Valentina Matvienko noted the positive potential of interaction between dedicated committees and in the friendship group, which is to be established in Russia.
The Speaker added that interregional cooperation and broader ties between sister cities was a promising area for cooperation.
She pointed out the parties’ resolve to strengthen ties within the framework of international parliamentary organisations, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The Federation Council Speaker invited a Nepalese delegation to attend the 10th Nevsky International Ecological Congress and the fourth Eurasian Women’s Forum, which is scheduled to take place in 2024.
The colleagues also discussed youth exchanges, education and culture. Valentina Matvienko expressed appreciation for the practice of educating Nepalese specialists in Russia in many disciplines, from medicine to defence. “We welcome Nepalese students’ desire to study in Russia,” she said.
The sides exchanged views on the Open International Chess Tournament, to be held in Nepal, which will be attended by players from Russia, China and India.
Chair of the National Assembly of the Federal Parliament of Nepal noted that Russian-Nepali relations were based on mutual trust and understanding and said that Nepal was willing to cooperate with Russia at the interstate and international levels.
Ganesh Prasad Timilsina invited Valentina Matvienko to visit Nepal.
After the meeting, Valentina Matvienko and Ganesh Prasad Timilsina signed an agreement on interparliamentary cooperation between the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and the National Assembly of the Federal Parliament of Nepal. The Federation Council Speaker remarked that the document would strengthen the legal framework of interaction between the two countries’ legislative assemblies and would boost interparliamentary cooperation.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Speaker Konstantin Kosachev, Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Grigory Karasin, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs Andrey Denisov, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Agriculture and Food Policy and Environmental Management Sergei Mitin, First Deputy Chair of the Federation Council Committee on Social Policy Alexander Varfolomeev, and member of the Federation Council Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building Oleg Tsepkin.