Kathmandu, May 4: French ambassador Michel Lummaux paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar today.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interests were discussed, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Similarly Japanese ambassador Mitsuaki Kojima today paid a courtesy call on Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ram Krishna Tamrakar.

Minister Tamrakar urged for the support of the Japanese government for Nepal to acquire the membership of the World Trade Organisation (wto) and called for increased bilateral trade.

He also sought Japanese cooperation for the expansion of Nepal Industrial Development Corporation (nidc) and the Lumbini Development Project.

He stressed the need for increased investment by the Japanese private sector in Nepal and exchange of trade delegations between the two countries. On the occasion, Ambassador Kojima said that the matters presented by Minister Tamrakar for the economic development of Nepal were appreciable and assured that he would make all possible effort in this regard.

His Majesty’s Government has constituted a national task force under the chairmanship of president of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (fncci) Pradip Kumar Shrestha to forward to the government and other related bodies opinions of the private sector and problems facing industrialists for preparing the annual budget for fiscal year 207/58 B. S. to be presented in the coming parliamentary session.

The task force is expected to forward suggestions to the concerned body about slackness in economic activity and problems facing industrial entrepreneurs.