Prime Minister apprises diplomats of govt’s foreign policy

Kathmandu / Mar 27: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has held a meeting with ambassadors and officials of international diplomatic missions based in Kathmandu, among other representatives of bilateral development agencies, to apprise them of the government’s foreign policy.

The ambassadors and diplomats have attended the meeting at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu today.

Addressing the meeting, PM Oli has raised various issues of national and international interest. He said, Nepal has undergone transformation of historic proportions in the past one decade. The impact of transformation has not been confined to political sphere but has also been felt across all spheres of national life.

He expressed happiness that over 41 percent of women representation has been ensured in elected bodies, which he said is not a small achievement by any standard. However, he added that the government would make further efforts to bridge the gap of the remaining nine percent.

PM Oli said, “We have entered into an era of political stability. We have paid heavy price to reach this stage. We believe that our friends and well-wishers who want to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Nepal also cherish this historic achievement of the people of Nepal.”

Likewise, he addressed the issues of social justice, peace, equality, unity in diversity, inclusive polity, rule of law, zero tolerance against corruption, and inclusive democracy, among others.

He further stated that promoting the image of Nepal as an inclusive democratic state at the international level and advancing the cause of Nepal’s socio-economic development would be the two intrinsic diplomatic goals of the government. He added that independent foreign policy and balanced conduct of relations would be the hallmarks of Nepal’s external engagements.

The Prime Minister said, “We will be guided by the principles of Panchasheel, non-alignment, UN Charter, international law, and norms of world peace in the conduct of our foreign relations. Our motto will be ‘amity with all, and enmity with none’.”

He stated that Nepal enjoyed cordial and friendly relations with both its immediate neighbours, India and China, thereby making mutual trust the key ingredient to bilateral relationship with both the countries.

Similarly, PM Oli took the opportunity to thank the development partners for their goodwill, support and cooperation. He also expressed support to the UN reform initiatives, providing equal emphasis on peace and security, development, and human rights. However, he urged the development partners to align assistance with Nepal’s priorities, respecting its leadership & ownership in the process, and channelising such support through government mechanisms.

The Prime Minister expressed that Nepal would continue contributing to the maintenance of international peace and security through its effective participation in UN mandated peacekeeping operations.

The meeting follows the government’s condemnation against the European Union Election Observation Mission’s (EUEOM) recent elections report.

Earlier, the CPN-UML had expressed bitterness against the report saying that the statement of EUEOM was a blatant violation of the political independence of Nepal which is protected by the Charter of the UN and other intentional laws, including customary international laws. The party had further said that the report required serious scrutiny of its legitimacy under prevailing international laws, Nepal’s foreign relations practices with other countries, and general diplomatic norms and practices.