The third meeting of the Nepal-Russia Bilateral Consultation Mechanism is taking place in Kathmandu today, eight years after the second meeting, as the two countries mark the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The Nepali delegation is being led by Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, while the Russian delegation is headed by visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko.

The consultation mechanism was established under a protocol signed between the foreign ministries of Nepal and Russia in 1995 to facilitate regular consultations and exchanges of views on bilateral, regional and international issues.

The first meeting was held in Moscow in 2007 at the level of foreign secretaries, while the second meeting took place in Kathmandu on April 17, 2018.

The meeting is expected to review the overall state of Nepal-Russia relations and discuss ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, tourism, education, culture and technical fields. Regional and international issues and cooperation in multilateral forums are also expected to feature in the discussions.

Speaking at an Open Dialogue organised by the Russian Embassy in Kathmandu on Tuesday evening, Rudenko outlined Russia’s perspective on the rapidly changing international situation and Moscow’s approach to its foreign policy.