At a ceremony held at Singha Durbar in Kathmandu today, the Ambassador of India to Nepal Mr. Rakesh Sood presented Letters of Credence to Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister of Nepal H.E. Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala.

Following the presentation of the Letters of Credence, Prime Minister Koirala and Ambassador Sood had a tête-à-tête. Prime Minister Koirala congratulated Ambassador Sood on taking up his new assignment and wished him a successful and pleasant stay in Kathmandu. He expressed the hope that the friendly, close and long-standing multi-dimensional relations between India and Nepal will be further strengthened during Mr. Sood's tenure as Ambassador of India. Prime Minster Koirala also thanked the Government of India for its abiding assistance to Nepal's peace process and development.

Ambassador Sood congratulated the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Koirala, and the people of Nepal for the successful Constituent Assembly elections. Pointing out that India welcomed the people's verdict, he expressed the hope that a new government reflecting the outcome and a spirit of consensus, cooperation and unity among all concerned, would soon be in place to address the enormous tasks of drafting a new Constitution for Nepal and taking the country further on the road to peace and development. He said that India looked forward to working with the new government in Nepal, and reiterated that India would render all possible cooperation in assisting Nepal's transition to peace, stability, democracy and development.