RIYADH, 29 May 2006 — Nepal has called back its ambassador in the Kingdom yesterday in a major administrative shake up by the new government headed by Girija Prasad Koirala. Earlier, the new government had recalled 12 of its ambassadors who were appointed by King Gyanendra.
Nepalese Ambassador Abullaish Thakurai who came to the Kingdom 10 months ago, was the first Muslim ambassador ever posted to an overseas mission by the Himalayan kingdom. “The recall was not a surprise to me following the change of the government,” Thakurai said.
Sri Lankan Ambassador A.M.J. Sadiq will host a farewell dinner to Thakurai on June 8, where most of the ambassadors from the Asian nations will take part to bid adieu to the departing envoy
Thakurai said that during his stay in Riyadh he made all efforts for the opening of a Saudi mission in Nepal to ease the hardship faced by the Nepalese workers intending to come to the kingdom for employment.
There are 350,000 Nepalese workers in the Kingdom and demand for them was increasing everyday, the envoy said. “Annually we spend some SR50 million for processing of Saudi visas in Dhaka, the closest Saudi mission to Nepal. He added, “Even a Saudi Consulate in Nepal would minimize the costs and the time spent in getting visas from Dhaka.”
