 |
Kathmandu Monday March 05, 2001 Falgun 22, 2057.
|
PM leaves for France today
Opposition says visit untimely
Post Report
KATHMANDU, March 4 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is leaving for
France Monday on a four-day official visit, making him the second Nepali PM to tour France
on an official visit.
Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola and Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat
will be part of the Nepali entourage, which also includes a seven-member business
delegation.
According to Gyan Chandra Acharya, spokesman and joint secretary at the
Ministry for Foreign Affairs (MoFA), Nepal is likely to seek French co-operation in
telecom, hydropower, agro-processing and aviation sectors during the visit.
"France has expressed strong support for multi polarity in world
affairs. They have also been supporting globalisation but are against formation of
homogenous culture," said Acharya, who is also the Chief of Europe, America and South
Asia division at MoFA. Acharya is also accompanying PM Koirala.
PM Koirala is slated to hold bilateral talks with French PM Lionel Jospin,
and address the French Institute for International Relations.
During the visit, France is expected to request Nepal to provide consessional
landing facilities for items flying into the country for French projects.
The first visit by the Nepali PM to France was made by Jung Bahadur Rana in
Aug 20, 1850. The Late King Mahendra paid a state visit to France, so has King Birendra.
Koirala’s visit comes when the opposition has been disrupting parliament
over his alleged role in a controversial jet lease deal signed by RNAC, the national
carrier. As such, many members of the opposition argue that the PM leaving the country at
this juncture is inappropriate.
But despite the questions, some leaders and intellectuals today said that the
"long overdue" visit could promote bilateral ties between the two countries.
Speaking at a program in the capital today, leaders from the opposition
parties also conceded that the visit could turn "more fruitful" if the
government did more homework on its part at a political level, prior to the visit.
"It is the PM himself and not us who is creating an obstacle in the
present scenario...We want the Parliament to proceed normally," said Jhal Nath
Khanal, politburo member of the Main Opposition CPN-UML.
"But even in a country like France where corruption charges on
authorities are investigated thoroughly, PM Koirala is likely to put the country to shame
by going on with the visit under the present scenario," Khanal said, who also heads
the Foreign Policy Department of his party.
"We don’t even have a leadership vision presently...Not much can be
achieved on international relations. The political and the economic situation is also in
turmoil," Khanal added.
"The PM would be treated with more respect if he cleared his name off
the corruption charges," said Hiranya Lal Shrestha of CPN-ML. "But the visit
could be fruitful if it was more utilised to launch diplomatic packages rather than a
leisure trip."
Meanwhile, Minister Mahat maintained that the visit will give a positive
signal on the country’s political stability.
"A visit to France by Nepal’s PM was cancelled a year ago due to
political instability. It would deliver a wrong signal if it was cancelled this time
too," Minister Mahat said.
"Such a visit requires months of preparations and it would be very
embarrassing to the Nepali diplomats," Mahat added.
Minister Mahat further said that the visit would largely focus on
"economic content" and would also explore trade relations as well as pull French
interest on Nepal.
Nepal and France have so far signed seven financial protocols where French
support has been extended on mostly aviation and telecommunications sector. However, Nepal
has not received any French grant since 1998.
Other Stories
|
