Vice President Pun off to Austria

Kathmandu–Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun left for Austria this morning on a week-long visit to the Central European country.

Prime Minister KP Shrma Oli, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the Nepal Communist Party parliamentary deputy leader Subas Chandra Nembang, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi were at the airport to see off the Vice President.

A contingent of the Nepal Army presented a guard of honour to the Vice President on the occasion.

Vice President Pun, who is visiting Austria at the invitation of the Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, will attend the R-20 World Summit on Climate Change to be organised in Vienna on May 28.

He will travel on to Austria by a Qatar Airways plane via Doha, said Manoj Ghartimagar, the Vice President's press coordinator.

Vice President Pun will participate in the R-20 World Summit on May 28 and share Nepal's views in the conference. He will also pay a courtesy call on Austria's President in course of the visit.

The Vice President is scheduled to attend a programme marking the 40th anniversary of the Vienna International Centre on Monday.

He will also participate in the International Everest Day function to be organized by the Nepli Embassy in Austria.

The Vice President is accompanied by his spouse Hastamali Pun, Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet, among other officials. He will return home on June1.