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Kathmandu Friday January 18, 2002 Magh 05, 2058.
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Significant visit
The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, arrives in the capital today on what can only be
described as a significant and meaningful visit. The visit underscores US support for the
decade
old Nepalese liberal democracy and also underlines US solidarity with Nepal in its fight
against
what the government describes as Maoist terrorism. Secretary of State Powell must have had
a
rather tough time in Islamabad and New Delhi while trying to ease the tension between the
two
South Asian neighbours. Compared to what he might have had to go through in those two
capitals, the Kathmandu visit must be relaxing for the overworked Secretary of State. Yet,
it is
useful to note that by sending the Secretary of State to Nepal, the US has lived up to its
commitment not to look at this country through anybody else’s eyes. The US Assistant
Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca, while on a visit here sometime ago,
told a
group of Nepalese journalists that the US as a matter of policy did not allow its view of
Nepal to
be coloured by that of other countries. The Powell visit could well be a reinforcement of
this
policy.
Secretary of State Powell comes to the troubled South Asian sub-continent at a time when
tensions are particularly high between the two nuclear powers in the region. Any armed
conflict
between India and Pakistan will prove detrimental to the US fight against terrorism in
Afghanistan,
but even more, it will prove disastrous for the region itself. Especially affected will be
small
countries like Nepal which will be paying the prohibitive price of a war that is not of
their making
nor of their choice or liking. The clouds of war in the region now look to have blown over
for the
time being but it will be in the interest of the sub-continent if the two big South Asian
neighbours
could end their hostilities through talks and negotiations. But apart from the bigger
South Asian
picture, Colin Powell’s visit to Nepal at this crucial time in Nepalese history can
safely be
construed as US support for this country’s fight against terrorism. The Maoist
insurgents in recent
times have been indulging in the murder of innocent and unarmed citizens and political
workers
who hold views different from their own. The government can justifiably ask what
constitutes
terrorism if not this. US support to Nepal at this juncture is vital not merely for the
survival of
democracy in this country but for the very survival of this country as an independent
nation. Nepal
has done well to support the US led global coalition against terrorism and the US
Secretary of
State’s visit should be seen both as America’s gratitude for Nepalese support as
well as
reiteration of US support to Nepal’s own fight against terrorism. The visit may or
may not result in
greater US participation in Nepal’s development efforts such as in the fields of
education, health
and transportation. But the important point is that this will be one of the highest
ranking visits to
Nepal by US officialdom, apart from those of then Vice President Spiro T Agnew and then
First
Lady Hillary Clinton. It is for these reasons that the visit will be considered to be
highly significant
for Nepal. |
