KATHMANDU, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Balananda Sharma, a former Lieutenant General in the Nepali Army, was inducted on Friday as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet, a position Prime Minister Sushila Karki has held since her government's formation.

Sharma, who served in Nepal's defence force for nearly four decades, retired from the second rank after the army chief. Starting in 2004, Sharma had served as the commander of the United Nations Disengagement Force in the Golan Heights for two years, according to Nepal army records.

He also served as coordinator of the Committee for Supervision, Integration, and Rehabilitation of Maoist Combatants' secretariat, which played a facilitation role in integrating 1,463 former Maoist guerrilla fighters into the Nepal Army. ■