KATHMANDU, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had expressed deep grief over the death of Edmund Hillary, who was the first man in the world to scale the Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest), local news agency RSS reported Saturday.

    In the message of condolence, sent Friday by Prime Minister Koirala to his counterpart of New Zealand, Helen Clark, he said "I express my profound appreciation to the devotion with which he contributed to promote the bonds of friendship between Nepal and New Zealand, including by being the New Zealand Ambassador to Nepal."

    "I also applaud the development and humanitarian works done by the Himalayan Trust, which he founded to improve lives of people of the region by setting up schools, health clinics and other socio-economic infrastructures," the prime minister said.

    "The Government and people of Nepal shall always cherish the fond memories of his selfless devotion to the cause of development of the Everest region, his human qualities and courageous spire as well as his contribution to make Nepal Known to the world," he noted.

    Edmund Hillary passed away Friday morning at Auckland of New Zealand at the age of 88. He, together with Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal, had scaled Mt. Qomolangma on May 29, 1953.