NATIONAL 1 (Spotlight Weekly)]

A New Beginning

The `historic' visit by the Japanese Prime Minister marks the new era in bilateral relations

By BHAGIRATH YOGI

He came, he saw, he conquered.During his brief visit to Nepal, at the last leg of his weeklong visit to South Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori was able to win hearts of Nepali people. Through his visit, Mori made it clear that Japan accorded high priority to its relations with Nepal.

After asking the Indian and Pakistani governments to stop the nuclear race in the region and sign on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Mori did not have much pressing agenda while visiting Nepal. He assured of his government's continued economic cooperation to Nepal and even found time to dance a while in the Nepali capital.

During the official talks, Prime Ministers of both Nepal and Japan agreed that there was a need to expand Security Council in both permanent as well as non-permanent category. Though the Japanese Prime Minister did not ask for Nepal's cooperation in Japan's bid to the UN Security Council, it was well understood that Japan wanted Nepal's support. "We should support Japan in any such bid since is one of the most important partners in Nepal's development efforts," said Bishnu Hari Nepal, former Royal Nepali ambassador to Tokyo. The Japanese Prime Minister urged Nepal to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), saying that would add to its universality and send "a strong message to India and Pakistan." Koirala reportedly told Mori that the treaty was in the process of ratification by the Nepali government.

During the meeting, Japan also agreed to look into Nepal's proposals for projects on river management, community bridges and an additional highway linking Kathmandu with the Tarai. Japan announced a new scheme to support the training of 50 Nepali information technology professionals over a period of two years. Nepal will also be included in a new South Asian exchange scheme that seeks to take 5000 visitors to Japan over a period of five years, officials said. A separate Mori Fellowship would enable exchanges between scholars, researchers and artists.

At the official as well as the people's level, the Japanese Prime Minister was accorded a warm welcome. "Nepali people hold Japan in high esteem as it is the second most important economic power in the world and one of the main donor countries to Nepal," said Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, former Foreign Minister. Though Japan is a highly developed country and Nepal-still struggling hard on the road to development, there are a number of commonalties between them. Both regard the teachings of Lord Buddha, respect monarchy as a symbol of national unity and are committed to democratic values. "Both countries have worked together in the United Nations and other international for a to promote the cause of world peace, disarmament and international security," said Dr. Mohan Lohani, executive director at the Institute of Foreign Affaires.

Koirala ( left) with Mori : Fruitful and historic.

Japanese aid to Nepal over the last three decades has totaled Japanese Yen 228.18 million. Japanese assistance ranges from infrastructure, education and health to human resources development. "The Japanese scholarship for Nepali IT professionals is an important gesture," said Dinesh Chapagain, former President of Nepal AOTS Alumni Society. There are vast potentials of promoting trade and investment between the two countries, say entrepreneurs. "Nepal should try to attract Japanese investment in hydropower, information technology and other areas besides tourism," said Pradip K. Shrestha, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

During Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's visit to Tokyo in November 1998, Japanese officials had raised concerns about corruption and irregularities at the Japanese aided projects. "This is the area of concern all the donors in Nepal. So, we must take sincere steps to best utilize the foreign assistance," said Dr. Bharat P. Dhital, former Royal Nepali ambassador to Japan.

Japanese monk Ekai Kawaguchi had visited Nepal in 1899 on the way to China. In the four-decade old diplomatic relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Mori has become the first Japanese Prime Minister to visit Nepal while in office.

The Goodwill Gesture

Coinciding with the Japanese Prime Minister's visit, the Japanese government announced that it will provide an assistance of over Rs 1.14 billion in bilateral aid, to be spent on an education project and for debt relief to Nepal. Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Mitsuaki Kozima and Finance Secretary Bimal Koirala signed on two separate agreements to this effect on Friday. The new aid package includes Rs 545.9 million for construction of 900 classrooms, 18 resource centers, 310 toilets, and 155 water supply facilities in 12 districts under Phase II of the Basic and Primary Education Program. Rest of the money will go into Debt Relief Measures under which various materials will be procured. Similarly, the Japanese government has also provided US$ 300,000 as relief aid to rehabilitate families affected by the recent floods and landslides in Nepal.