Kathmandu, Apr. 11: Minister for Foreign  Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola has stressed the need for international financial architecture to become more transparent and democratic.

In his address to the 13th ministerial meeting of the Non-aligned Movement held in Cartagena, Colombia from April 8-9, Minister Bastola said oda flows to developing countries should be in keeping with the international commitment the development partners have made.

Debt relief measures should be further widened to provide relief to developing countries and allow them to use resources released from debt obligations in development  activities, he added.

As non-aligned developing countries institute and implement painful reforms in their economies and strengthen democratic processes, the development partners should fling open their markets and technology to developing countries’ access, Minister Bastola observed.

Elimination of poverty, illiteracy, disease, deprivation and promotion of social justice and human rights deserve to be a common cause for countries from both South and North, he said, adding despite their painstaking implementation of economic reforms, most development partners are yet to meet the commitment at their end.

Stressing the need for collective efforts for bridging the widening gap between the rich and the poor both in terms of wealth and technology, he said to ensure a durable and total peace, we should engage in earnest disarmament of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and in preventing proliferation of small weapons mostly into terrorists’ hands.

It is imperative that these measures are accompanied by economic development and expanding gainful employment opportunities for the people, he observed.

Meanwhile, Minister for Foreign Affairs  Bastola and Indian Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh met at Cartagena, Colombia on sunday.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they discussed matters concerning bilateral relations between the two countries.

On the same day, Minister Bastola called on Colombian Foreign Minister Guillermo Fernandes De Soto during the ministerial meeting of the non-aligned movement.

On the occasion, they discussed matters of mutual interest.

Minister Bastola also had discussions with Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar on matters of mutual interest the same day.

The Nepalese delegation headed by Minister Bastola reached Havana today to participate in the first ever south summit.