There are expectations that the upcoming two-day visit of Indian Foreign Minister K Natwar Singh will promote Nepali interests. Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader Pradeep Giri dubbed the new Indian government as "comparatively progressive" and said the visit so soon after the appointment of the Deuba government could prove crucial. In his view, the former BJP government was by nature profit-seeking and would haggle over minor trade deals. The Congress government will be better for bolstering bilateral ties, Giri added.

According to Sachhit Shumsher Rana, former army chief and the incumbent member of Raj Parishad Standing Committee, Natwar Singh's visit will help Nepal in its effort in resolve the Maoist problem. Former speaker Daman Nath Dhungana thinks the promptness on the part of our southern neighbour to help us was commendable. Saying that the Indian foreign minister's visit would not make any major difference in the existing relationship between the two countries, former Nepali ambassador to India, Lok Raj Baral maintained that the priority the new Indian government seems to have given to Nepal is praiseworthy.

(Nepalnews.com Translation Service)