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 Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao Photo source: sarkaritel.com

Newly appointed Indian foreign secretary Nirupama Rao is arriving on a two-day visit to Nepal next week.

Rao will pay courtesy calls to President Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and foreign minister Sujata Koirala and hold official talks with her counterpart, foreign secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya, during her visit.

New Delhi is sending a high-level official to Nepal at a time when the constitution-drafting and peace process has been stalled due to differences among major political parties.

The visit was scheduled at the initiation of India rather than on the invitation of Nepal, foreign ministry sources say.

Erstwhile Indian foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon had urged the parties to take the peace process to a logical conclusion through consensus during his visit a few months ago.

This is Rao's first visit to Nepal after being appointed foreign secretary on July 31. She will also visit Pashupatinath temple and offer her prayers. nepalnews.com