Dalai Lama's office will not operate in Nepal: Maoist minister
A minister of the interim government has said the government would not allow the re-opening of the contact office of the Dalai Lama in Kathmandu.
Talking to Nepalnews Tuesday, Minister for Local Development Dev Gurung said they would continue to uphold the policy of the earlier governments that the Tibetan refugees will not be allowed to run office in Nepal.
Gurung said, "This is not a new decision but continuity of the stand of the government formed after the restoration of democracy last year." He cited reasons to be bilateral, trilateral and multilateral diplomatic relations of Nepal with the neighbouring countries.
He, however, said that no discussions have been held by the government regarding this issue recently.
Meanwhile, Indo Asian News Service (IANS) on Monday quoted Maoist Chairman Prachanda to have said that they would not allow Dalai Lama to reopen his office in Kathmandu on grounds that it would jeopardise the country's 'good relations' with 'friendly' northern neighbour.
However, chief whip of the Maoist parliamentary party Dina Nath Sharma told Nepalnews that party has not taken formal decision on the issue and termed the statement by Prachanda 'might be personal'. Nevertheless, Sharma hinted the decision that party may take soon would follow the footprints of the chairman's statement.
Prachanda had also said that Tibetan refugees living in Nepal would not be repatriated. When contacted, a Home ministry official denied commenting on the issue.
The government had ordered the closure of the Dalai Lama's contact office here in January 2005, which was run by Tibetan Refugees Welfare Centre (TRWC), a social organization of the Tibetan taking refuge in Nepal. Since then, the government has denied registering an NGO by the refugees. nepalnews.com ia Apr 10 07
