Kathmandu, Feb 12: Nepal and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste have established diplomatic relations. With this, the number of countries with which Nepal has bilateral diplomatic relations reached 173.    

Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Amrit Bahadur Rai and Permanent Representative of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to the United Nations Karlito Nunes signed a Joint Communiqué to this effect in a brief ceremony held at the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, New York on Friday.    

The two Ambassadors also signed a joint letter informing the Secretary-General of the United Nations. António Guterres about the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to a press statement issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal.     

On the occasion, the two Ambassadors exchanged views to strengthen bilateral cooperation at national and multilateral settings particularly at the UN forums on various matters of common interest.    

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste is a country located in Southeast Asia, on the southernmost edge of the Indonesian archipelago, northwest of Australia with an area of 15,007 square kilometres and a population of about 1.37 million.    

It became the 191st member state of the United Nations on 27 September 2002.    

Both Nepal and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste are members of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 China.