Indian PM Manmohan Singh greets Nepal PM-elect Jhala Nath Khanal

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke to Prime Minister-elect of Nepal Jhala Nath Khanal on Thursday evening and conveyed his felicitations on the latter?s election to the post.

Singh said Khanal’s ?election to this high office comes at a critical juncture of Nepal?s history?.

The Indian PM also offered his best wishes to PM elect to ?build upon and consolidate the gains of democracy that have been achieved by the people of Nepal?.

Prime Minister stated that India attached the highest importance to its relations with Nepal, which was a close neighbour.

He referred to the multifaceted bilateral relationship that cut across a wide range of sectors.

The PM wrote that he looked forward to working with Khanal to “carry our partnership forward in a way that benefits both our peoples and enables us to create a more prosperous and secure region.”

“I have always held the belief that the potential for our cooperation is vast. India stands ready to partner Nepal to exploit this potential to its fullest on the basis of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit,” he said.

Earlier, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also welcomed the election of Khanal as Prime Minister of Nepal, a move that ends a prolonged stalemate on forming a new government in the South Asian country.

Ban congratulated the Prime Minister-elect and reaffirmed the support of the United Nations to all efforts to complete the country?s peace process, and to adopt a new constitution by the stipulated date of May 28 this year.

Marking the end of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) on Jan 15, Ban and the Security Council had urged the government and all political parties to find a way to complete the country?s peace process.

UNMIN was set up in 2007 after the government and Maoists reached a peace agreement ending a war that claimed 13,000 lives. The Security Council decided to end its mandate after the parties pledged to complete outstanding issues of the peace process.