Brussels' Support
PRIME Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's stop in Brussels appears
to have succeeded in garnering support from Belgium as well as the European Commission in
Nepal's fight against terrorism. His Monday meeting with Belgium Prime Minister Guy
Verhofstadt and the Tuesday meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign
Affairs Louis Michel have resulted in Belgium's reiteration of support for the
government's efforts in fighting terrorism and preserving constitutional monarchy and
multiparty democracy. Continued support to Nepal's socio-economic development was also
assured. The expression of support followed Mr. Deuba's briefing to his hosts on
conditions in Nepal where, as Mr. Deuba put it, democracy was fighting against terrorism.
His meetings with European Commission President Romano Prodi and European parliamentarians
in Brussels were no less productive. After Mr. Deuba thanked EC for the moral and
political support extended to Nepal in her fight against terrorism and for the
preservation of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy in Nepal, Mr. Prodi
was categorical in EC's support for Nepal's efforts in preserving democracy and human
rights and reiterated EC's continued cooperation for the socio-economic development of
Nepal, including support for Nepal's accession to the World Trade Organisation. Prime
Minister Deuba's call for an enhanced level of cooperation from the international
community, including the European Union, in combating terrorism and improving the
socio-econmic conditions of the Nepali people, must be seen as a request born out of a
necessity to garner sufficient resources if the fight against terrorism is to fully and
swiftly succeed. The government's total commitment to democracy, human rights and
fundamental freedom, rule of law and good governance must make it easier for European
Union to consider to increase its support to Nepal both in relation to fighting the
scourge of terrorism as well as combating poverty.
In this context, the expressions of support from the European
parliamentarians to Mr. Deuba in their luncheon meeting Tuesday were also notable. They
expressed the hope that the forthcoming general election would help consolidate democratic
process in Nepal and expressed their support in ensuring human rights and fundamental
freedom within the democratic framework. European Commission, which has only also
established its office in Kathmandu recently, is Nepal's important development partner.
Its reiteration of support to Nepal in resolution of the problems it is facing comes as an
indication of the importance it attaches to its relationship with Nepal, a fact that bodes
well for Nepal's effort to gain further international support to its present mission of
combating terrorism and expanding development cooperation.
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