PM leaving for NY to attend UN Summit today
'UN role to be enhanced'

By a staff reporter

Kathmandu, September 2: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is leaving for New York tomorrow morning to participate in the Millennium Summit of the United Nations.

The summit, which takes place from September 6 – 8 in New York, will be participated by Heads of State and Government of about 150 countries around the world. The summit precedes the 55th General Assembly meeting of the United Nations, which will take place in about two-week time.

Prime Minister Koirala will head a 15-member Nepalese delegation at the Millennium Summit. Accompanying the Prime Minister to New York are Foreign Secretary Narayan Shumsher Thapa, Secretary to the Prime Minister Hari Sharma, Chief of Protocol Bhagirath Basnet and Chief of the UN Section at the Foreign Ministry Joint Secretary Pushkar Man Singh Rajbhandari.

Sujata Koirala, the Prime Minister’s daughter, who was earlier supposed to go, will not be going.

About the Summit, Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Banstola said, "The Summit will focus its discussion about the role of the United Nations in the new century. In an interview to this daily’s sister publication, the Gorkhapatra, the Foreign Minister said the Summit will also initiate discussion on the role of the world body in global issues such as disarmament, human rights, trafficking of women and children and women’s equality.

According to Foreign Secretary Narayan Shumsher Thapa, at the Summit Nepal will stress for strengthening and enhancing the role of the United Nations in the 21st century.

Joint Secretary at the Foreign Ministry Pushkar Man Singh Rajbhandari said Nepal would also raise the issue of fighting against global poverty, world security and reforming and expansion of the UN Security Council with representation from the developing world in the most powerful organ of the world body.

En route to New York, Prime Minister Koirala will make a one-day stop over in Brussels. In the Belgian capital Koirala will be received by Kedar Bhakta Shrestha, Nepal’s Ambassador to the European Union. While in Brussels Prime Minister Koirala will also meet Nepalese living in Belgium.

He will leave Brussels for New York on Tuesday. The Prime Minister will attend the opening of the Millennium Summit the next day.

According to the Foreign Ministry, after the opening of the Millennium Summit on Wednesday Prime Minister Koirala will participate at a reception hosted by the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Later in the day, Premier Koirala will attend the second session of the Summit. In the evening of that day, he will attend a reception hosted by Namibia and Finland, joint vice presidents of the Millennium Summit. On Thursday, Koirala will take part in a round table discussion of the Summit and then will attend a luncheon to be hosted by the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori.

The Nepalese Prime Minister will address the Millennium Summit on Thursday afternoon. The same evening Premier Koirala will participate a reception hosted by US President Bill Clinton.

On Friday, Koirala will attend a luncheon-cum-discussion programme to be organised by the Asian Society in New York. The same evening Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Murari Raj Sharma will organise a reception in honour of Prime Minister Koirala.

During his stay in New York, Prime Minister Koirala will also meet with leaders of various countries. On Saturday, Koirala will meet with Nepalese living in New York at the auditorium of the Columbia University. In the evening, Koirala will leave for Geneva on his way back home.

Focus to define UN role in new millennium: Bastola

Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola has been playing a prominent role in national politics. Bastola, who was affiliated with Congress politics from the outset of his student life struggled incessantly for the restoration of multiparty democracy and spent many years in exile.

In his capacity as Foreign Minister, an important responsibility entrusted to him by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Bastola is faced with the challenges of the new millennium.

He has before him the additional responsibility of driving the country ahead to overcome backwardness and poverty using economic diplomacy as the vehicle for the desired change.

Bastola has been pursuing the envisaged goals in earnest. New chapters in the annals of Nepal’s foreign relations have been added ever since Bastola put on the mantle of the Foreign Ministry, the recent visit of the Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshiro Mori can be cited as an important example.

Bastola has been watching closely the national compulsions. Having delved into the implementation of Nepal’s Foreign policy during different stages, when in power and out of power, Bastola is looked up to as a candid speaker who believes in pragmatism.

He is of the view that the tendency to protest for the sake of protest and a bias approach are the drawbacks that have been depriving the people from the fruits of development in spite of the unlimited scope the country possesses for development.

Ram Kumar Kamat of this daily’s sister publication, the Gorkhaparta, talked to Bastola who is going to participate in the Millennium Summit of the United Nations to be held in New York September 6-8. Excerpts:

You are accompanying the Prime Minister to the Millennium Summit, how important is this Summit for Nepal and what are our concerns?

The Summit will primarily focus on defining the role of the United Nations in the new millennium. The future role of the UN on wide ranging issues encompassing disarmament, human rights, girls and women trafficking and equality of women will be discussed at the Summit.

The three-day Summit to be participated in by Heads of State and Government will chalk out the future course of the UN by reviewing the works carried out by the institutions under the UN flagship in the earlier years.

Nepal being a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, its concerns at the Summit would be the ones raised by the NAM countries. The member nations during the Havana Summit had raised a common voice that they should also have a say in the United Nations. The issue of reviewing the overall structure of the UN will also figure in the Millennium Summit. Hence, I feel that the Summit will provide an important forum to decide the future course to be taken by the UN.

UN General Secretary Kofi Anan has called upon all the member countries to sign various UN draft proposals at the Millennium Summit if they have not done so. Which draft proposal will Nepal be signing?

Anan in the context of the Summit has forwarded several proposals before the member nations and he has sought their views. The request to sign the proposals has also been made in the same light. We will also be signing some proposals as per his request. Nepal will be signing the draft proposal on the convention related to child rights. We will also be signing the draft proposal on the convention related to women’s rights if it has already arrived at the Foreign Ministry.

How would you assess the recent visit of the Japanese Prime Minister to Nepal?

The visit of the Japanese Prime Minister was historical and successful. Nepal, initially, had not been included in his itinerary of visit to the South Asian nations.

The unwavering efforts of the Foreign Ministry and the Nepalese foreign mission in Japan initiated a month ahead of his sojourn to South Asia, materialised his visit to Nepal. As he was the first ever Japanese Prime Minister to visit Nepal, the visit carried a lot of prominence and hence, is historical.

Mori was highly elated on being able to visit Nepal, which made it very productive. We have taken the visit of the Japanese Prime Minister to be a successful one as Japan is an integral development partner for Nepal.

The business community in Nepal feels that it can derive a lot of commercial benefit if it succeeds to attract Japanese investment to Nepal. What are the efforts being undertaken by the Ministry in this direction?

Despite the fact that we have a strong foundation of nationalism, we still cannot deal competitively with the Japanese experts. Moreover, we cannot compete when it comes to production technology.

It is of paramount importance that we develop the required physical infrastructure in order to attract Japanese investment. For this, the private sector as well as the government must go hand in hand.

Though the media carried the news that two additional trading routes with China were opened during your recent visit to China, later the news was denied. What did you discuss during your China visit?

The media spread a rumour about the opening of the trading routes. Our demand from China was that it open four trading routes in order to boost Nepal-China trade. I put this frankly before the Chinese leaders. They are positive about our demand but they feel that it would be better to open the trading routes one by one instead of opening them all at once.

Agreement relating to the number of trading routes to be opened has not been reached yet. We however have the understanding to give continuity to the discussions. The next meeting will be held in December in Kathmandu and hopefully, decision relating to the number of trading routes to be opened will be taken.

The Chinese officials in the next meeting could give permission for the opening of two or even three trading routes. As Nepal also trades with China, there is the possibility of giving fillip to bilateral trade.

How active is the Foreign Ministry towards taking ahead economic diplomacy?

Talking about economic diplomacy just for the sake of talking and talking about it with some understanding are two different things. Presently Nepal’s trade balance with most of the countries is not in its favour. We do not have the balance of trade with Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan and India. Our trade with India however has improved in the last few years.

Hence, it is necessary that we attempt towards forging trade balance with the countries we have been trading for a long time. In the context that we have not been able to forge trade balance with the countries that we are already trading, it would not be appropriate to go for economic diplomacy with new trading partners.

I think that the main objective of economic diplomacy is also guided by the same factor. We are probably the biggest importer of goods from New Zealand. First, we should attempt towards achieving a trade balance with New Zealand. I mentioned the same thing during my recent visit to China.

I told the Chinese leaders that the era of assistance has gone and the era of trade and commerce has emerged. I requested China to invest in Nepal and extend assistance for the development of infrastructure. They have taken my request very positively.

Do you see the necessity to change the country’s foreign policy in the changed global context?

Foreign policy has permanent and variable elements. The Himalayas, the rivers and the landlockedness of the country constitute the permanent elements while the end of the Cold War, technological development are the variables. The main objective of the foreign policy is to maintain a balance between these two elements so as to achieve the maximum benefit for the nation. It is a matter of concern to what extent we can influence the mode of change in the world. Abrogating the 1950 Treaty could put Nepal into difficulty. It will close the door for two million countrymen. Besides, foreign policy is not like chatting over a cup of coffee. Being small in size we have certain limitations but the smallness of the country itself has benefits too. But we have been unable to capitalise the opportunities due to deep-seated narrow-mindedness. Cases are filed whether it is a matter of exploiting water-resource or tourism development. This sort of mentality is the barrier to development.

What role is Nepal playing to hold the SAARC summit that was postponed?

The environment is yet to be favourable to hold the SAARC summit. However the member countries are having dialogues with India and Pakistan to convince them for the summit. The technical committees are meeting despite India’s stance that it is not appropriate to hold the summit until Pakistan experiences political normalcy. The agriculture technical committee had a meeting a few months ago. The SAARC countries are planning to have a meeting during the UN convention in New York. Nepal and Bangladesh are making efforts to hold a meeting. However, a decline in SAARC activities will not be in our interest.

We are under the shadow of the nuclear hazard. What should be our role to check this?

Of course we are under the shadow of the nuclear hazard. Our neighbours India, China and Pakistan are nuclear powers. Seen from the geographical and strategic perspectives, we cannot rule out a nuclear war in this region. It is perhaps in this sense that the US President Bill Clinton called this region a nuclear flash point. We should try to foster friendship and discourage weapon race to maintain peace and security in this region. The prime concern of any country is its security. Hence we cannot rely on others in matter of our security. It will be a different case if we can translate our concerns into an effective worldview.

What is the progress about repatriating the Bhutanese refugees?

We are regularly in touch with the Bhutanese authorities. I had said that my talks as the Foreign Minister with the Bhutanese side were inclusive. Efforts are underway to give them a decisive turn.

The Prime Minister visited India recently. How has it assisted to enhance the bilateral ties?

It is natural that our relations with India should be like family ties with minor hitches in intervals. A new problem crops up soon after the old one is resolved. We should have regular dialogues. Relations without a dialogue and neighbours without any dispute are really dangerous.

But what about the (serious) issues like border dispute?

The border dispute is not a big issue. In fact this issue has been exaggerated. We should not take it as a serious issue at a time when the border demarcation work is not completed. Once the demarcation work is complete, India should leave our territory if it is found to have encroached on any part of our country. The need of the moment is to demarcate the border on the basis of the existing proofs. Then we can demand for the pull out of the Indian army if it has occupied any part of the country. The agreement between the two sides during Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s recent visit to India to make an overall review of the 50-year-old ties and to give it a new shape is a significant achievement.

Road transport stressed for Maoist hit dists: DPM

Nepalgunj, Sept. 2 (RSS): Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development Ramchandra Poudel has said that the people of the Maoist affected remote areas in the mid-western region have taken very positively the integrated development programme that the government is considering implementing in those areas.

Talking to Radio Nepal correspondent Poshan K.C.at the end of his visit to the Maoist affected Kalikot, Salyan and Rolpa districts today, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said local elected representatives and all political party representatives in the districts took active part in the all party programmes organised to discuss the preparations for the implementation of the package programme.

Local representatives and political party representatives in all these districts gave priority to promotion of road transport and stressed the need to implement agriculture, health, education and drinking water projects in such a manner as to ensure their long-term impact, he said.

In course of various discussions held in the districts an understanding has been reached to implement the package programme in a transparent manner and on the basis of wider consensus, the Deputy Prime Minister said.

At an all-party programme held in Liwang, Rolpa yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel said the projects which benefit the people in the real sense and involves the people in development activities will be selected for implementation.

At the programme chaired by DDC chairman Amrit Bahadur Gharti, various political party representatives stressed the need to gravel Bhaluwang-Liwang road, implement special programme in agricultural sector and seek a political solution to the Maoist problem.

At the programme, member of the National Planning Commission Dr Jagadish Pokhrel also expressed his views.

Also Friday, Mr Paudel addressed a mass gathering organised by the Nepali Congress Rolpa district committee.

At the function chaired by NC Rolpa district committee president Madhav Acharya, Minister of State for Labour and Transport Surendra Hamal and MP Lekhnath Acharya also spoke.

When the Deputy Prime Minister reached the headquarters of Rolpa district yesterday, the Maoists had fired gunshots for 10 or 15 minutes from nearby hideouts.

In retaliation of the Maoist attack, police also made a counter-attack. But there were no casualties on either side.

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit to Manma, headquarters of Kalikot district, president of the Maoist-affected people’s association and Kalikot district development committee member Mansingh Shahi was shot dead by the Maoists around 4.15 pm yesterday.

Mr Paudel returned to Kathmandu as his scheduled visit to Khalanga, headquarters of Rukum district, was cancelled due to bad weather condition.

IPU meet historic: UNIC

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept 2: The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), currently holding its conference of President Officers of National Parliaments at the UN Headquarters, has adopted a statement incorporating the views of participants on the inability of two presiding officers to obtain visas to attend the event, IPU Secretary-General Anders Johnsson told correspondents at a press conference recently, according to a UNIC press statement released Friday.

Participants also discussed the role of parliaments in dealing with issues related to globalisation, democracy and United Nations reform. They are expected to adopt a final declaration at the conclusion of the conference, the statement said.

More than 900 participants attended the conference, which has been described as an historic event. They represented 141 countries and included 152 parliamentary Speakers and 412 Members of Parliament and delegates.

Concerning a query about the lack of United States Congressional representation at the conference, noting that that might undermine its activities, Johnsson suggested that question might be more appropriately addressed to the United States Congress. The organisers had originally invited the speakers of the two chambers — Dennis Hastert and Trent Lott — as well as Vice-President Al Gore to attend. Mr. Gore had responded that he could not attend because of the Presidential election campaign. However, the others had not yet responded. While their absence was regrettable, it did not undermine the conference. But their colleagues felt they might have benefitted from a United States presence.

Were United States Congressmen previously involved in IPU meetings? asked another correspondent. Johnsson pointed out that the United States Congress was a founding member of the IPU, and therefore had played a prominent role in the organisation since its inception. A number of its members had been on the IPU Executive Committee and had been very influential in the construction of the organisation. But with the changes that the end of the Cold War had brought, there was an apparent lessening of interest in international cooperation. Since the middle of the 1990s, there had been little participation by the United States.

Concerning what proposals the IPU would be presenting to the upcoming Millennium Summit, he responded by saying that they would present the outcome of the conference, which could be broken down into three areas. First, they would express their wish to have a number of issues, including the HIV/AIDS epidemic, addressed. They would also convey a message of political support to the United Nations; and they would suggest that Parliaments become more involved in ensuring that international cooperation be made more transparent and democratic.

To the query as to whether there was any guarantee that Member States would implement the IPU proposals, Johnsson replied "No", adding that there was, however, the will to make it happen.

Concerning the query as to what kind of relationship the organisation intended to foster with the United Nations, he said that the Secretary-General had said during his opening speech that during his tenure, he always tried to establish good relations with parliaments and to strengthen relations with the IPU. During the debate in the conference, speakers acknowledged that the relationship needed to be better. It was currently governed by a cooperation agreement completed in 1996 which did not really modify the original status that was granted to the IPU by the United Nations in 1947. IPU members thought that was unacceptable.

To a query as to whether some political issues had come to the fore during the conference deliberations, particularly that of the Middle East and was that development an unexpected one, Johnsson said that when political leaders gathered together, they were expected to address issues that were high on their agenda.

Asked to comment on the evolution of the IPU advocacy process, Johnsson said that when the IPU stated in 1889, it was the first international political institution in existence, and it advocated the need for countries to negotiate and find solutions rather than go to war. Since then, the world had gone through a number of changes, particularly during the last decade with the advent of globalisation and the adoption by a number of international organisations of guidelines that affect the everyday life of people in their own communities. Consequently, parliaments were beginning to sense that they were being left behind and were unable to represent people in all spheres of life. They were therefore recognising that, among other factors, there was a need to ensure that the benefits of globalisation were shared more equitably.

About Pakistan’s current status was in the IPU, he said the IPU was made up of elected parliaments. However, when there was no parliament in a country, that country automatically left the organisation and could not return until its parliament was restored. Currently, Pakistan was in that situation.

Quality management education vital to nation

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 2: Quality management education is vital to accelerate the development efforts of the country. This was the common view expressed by the speakers at the function organised by Public Youth Campus, on the occasion of the 47th Commerce Day and the Re-union Programme, Saturday.

Inaugurating the function, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Chief Guest of the function Ram Krishna Tamrakar said that the management experts and commerce students should have to bear the onus of what is termed as global management, towards which the world is heading.

A letter from the Private Secretariat of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that wished for the success of the programme was also read out at the function

Speaking on the same occasion, Dean at the Faculty of Management of Tribhuvan University Dr. K. D. Koirala said that the university is shortly launching a programme on Information Management for the first time in Nepal. "We are running the programme in one campus this time around as a pilot project," he added.

Speaking from the chair, campus chief of Public Youth Campus Jaya Ram Regmi highlighted the contribution of Public Youth Campus to the development of management education in the country.

Those speaking at the function were Assistant Minister for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol, Asta Shahi, Surendra Tuladhar, Ishwor Malakar and Milan Rajbhandari.

On the same occasion, Minister Tamrakar also released the audio cassette ‘Sanjhyaa’ that contained all songs sung by the present and former students of the campus. He also released the magazine ‘Emblem’ published by the campus.

Neeraj Dangol, a Public Youth Campus student securing the top marks in the BBS level examinations held last year, was awarded the prize established to commemorate the founder principal of the campus late Gopal Man Shrestha.