U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) meets with Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali at the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C., the United States, on Dec. 18, 2018. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali here on Tuesday, discussing further development of bilateral ties, said the U.S. State Department.
The secretary of state highlighted the people-to-people ties that form the foundation of the relationship, according to a statement issued by the State Department.
Pompeo also noted that the meeting with his Nepali counterpart demonstrated the U.S. commitment to its partnership with Nepal, and emphasized the potential for the further development of U.S.-Nepal ties.
The two sides also discussed the compact between Nepal and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which is MCC's first such compact in South Asia and worth 500 million U.S. dollars.
Senior officials at Nepal's Foreign Ministry said earlier that Nepal and the United States are holding official talks at the level of foreign ministers after a gap of 16 years.
Created by the U.S. Congress in 2004, MCC is a foreign aid agency that provides time-limited grants and assistance to less developed countries that meet rigorous standards.
