Search the Internet          Tips

King Gyanendra accorded ceremonial welcome

"I look forward to exchanging views and gaining by the depth and scope of several of your prominent and prestigious leaders and their vision and maturity," he said after being accorded a ceremonial welcome on the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

India is attaching considerable significance to the visit, the first abroad by King Gyanendra since he acceded the throne in June last year following the royal family massacre.

President K R Narayanan, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Urban Development Minister Ananth Kumar, Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vijai Kapoor, senior officials and diplomats received the king and Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi.

Soon after his cavalcade reached the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhawan, a 21-gun salute was given to the monarch. He inspected an inter-services guard of honour before being introduced to the dignitaries.

Thanking President Narayanan for inviting him, King Gyanendra said he had come with the good wishes of the people and Government of Nepal.

"First and foremost I would like to thank His Excellency for giving us this invitation. We are very pleased to be in India. I come with the good wishes of the people and Government of Nepal to the people and Government of India."

Vajpayee will call on the king at the Rashtrapati Bhawan later in the day. The two leaders are expected to exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

A number of senior Cabinet ministers, including Lal Kishenchand Advani, Jaswant Singh, George Fernandes, Murli Manohar Joshi and Sushma Swaraj, will call on the king.

Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi and former prime ministers Chandrashekhar, Inder Kumar Gujral and P V Narasimha Rao will also meet the king.

The king will visit Kolkata and Guwahati before returning to Kathmandu on June 28. He is slated to visit China next month.

PTI

Tell us what you think of this report