Talks Ongoing To Repatriate Nepalis Working In Russian Army, Says Foreign Minister Shrestha

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said that regular talks are ongoing to repatriate Nepalis serving the Russian Army.

Talking to the media at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) this evening upon his return from the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) held in Iran, the DPM shared that regular efforts are being taken with Russia's External Affairs Ministry and other concerned bodies to repatriate Nepalis from there.

On the sidelines of the ACD, Minister Shrestha met Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Andrei Rudenko and raised the issue of repatriation of Nepali youths serving the Russian Army with special focus. Shrestha said, "I talked with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia about the homecoming of Nepalis there. Before this, I had talked with the Russian Foreign Minister too. On behalf of our ministry, frequent talks are being held with the Embassy there," Shrestha added.

Shrestha shared that it has been learned that some of the Nepalis in Russia are in a difficult situation which was confirmed during the talks with the officials of the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry and other bodies.

The DPM said that efforts through different channels are ongoing to confirm the total number of Nepalis serving the Russian Army and their status.

Shrestha said that the Russian side was urged to send the dead bodies of Nepalis in the Russian Army for their final rites in Nepal and provide due compensation to the families of those killed in the conflict, and ensure good health care services and compensation to the injured ones.

Minister Shrestha shared that currently six Nepalis are under Ukrainian force's control and the Ukrainian government has been told to release Nepalis under the prisoners of war.

Principally, the Russian government has agreed to send Nepalis working in the military service there back home but its modality is yet to be finalized, Shrestha added.

Meanwhile, Shrestha said that the government of Kuwait is opening its embassy in Nepal this year and added that the Kuwaiti government would increase the number of Nepali migrant workers up to 300,000 from the existing number of 100,000.

The Ministerial Meeting adopted the Tehran Declaration and the documents, namely, Guiding Principles for the Functioning of Asia Cooperation Dialogue Secretariat, and ACD Rules of Procedures which provide a framework of cooperation among ACD Members and an important basis for institutional strengthening of ACD Secretariat.

On the sidelines of the ACD Ministerial Meeting, Shrestha held bilateral meetings with Dr. Ali Bagheri, Acting Foreign Minister of Iran; U Than Swe, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar; Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain; Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait; Walid bin Abdul Karim Al Khraiji, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and others to discuss on various matters of mutual interests including pressing regional and global issues.

In Tehran, Minister Shrestha also attended an interaction programme organized by the Honorary Consulate General of Nepal with Nepali diaspora members.