Chief of the General Staff of the United Kingdom General Patrick Sanders called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Purna Bahadur Khadka and Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma on Tuesday.

Areas of mutual interest and cooperation between Nepal and the UK were discussed during the courtesy call on the prime minister, according to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

The British Army chief also met Deputy Prime Minister Khadka.

During the meeting, Khadka expressed his happiness saying that Britain is a major development partner that is supporting Nepal even in tough times.

Mentioning that the contribution of Gurkhas serving in the British Army is incomparable, the deputy prime minister conveyed his request to the British government to take initiation to address demands by former Gurkha veterans for equal pension and post-retirement benefits on par with British counterparts.

Sanders said he has taken the issue seriously, according to the defence minister’s secretariat.

The British Army chief met Nepal Army chief Sharma at NA headquarters and discussed mutual relations between Nepal and the United Kingdom and the armies of the two countries.

Sanders was accorded a guard of honours before the courtesy call, according to the Nepal Army Directorate of Public Relations and Information.

Sanders arrived in Kathmandu on Monday on a six-day visit. He was welcomed by Lieutenant General Ashok Raj Sigdel at the Tribhuvan International Airport.