I will lay special emphasis on the 'revival' of the Russian-Nepalese relations under new conditions

- Ambassador Valery Vartanovich Nazarov, Embassy of Russian Federation, Nepal

This distinguished authority from the Russian Federation met this scribe minutes after he presented his credentials to His Majesty King Gyanendra at the Royal Palace last Friday.

He was born in the year 1941. He graduated from the Moscow State Institute of the International Relations as back as in 1966.

Ambassador Valery Vartanovich Nazarov replaces his predecessor V. I. Ivanov.

Ambassador Nazarov entered into diplomatic service in the year 1965. He served in Myanmar from 1965-1966, 1967-1972 and 1982-1988 at the Embassy of the then Soviet Union in Burma. Looking at his extended tenure in Burma what could be concluded easily that he is an expert on Burma. Understandably, he speaks English and Burmese language fluently.

Yet another appointment from 1992 till 1997, he was made Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Burma, Myanmar.

From 1997-2001, Ambassador Nazarov served as Deputy Director of the Third Asia Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of his country.

The list of his previous services goes quite long.

Ambassador Nazarov enjoys the diplomatic rank of Minister Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the first class order.

He is married and has two daughters.

Last Friday, I had the rare honor to talk to this newly appointed Ambassador of the Russian Federation at his office premises in Baluatar. During the interview session, we had talks on contemporary international events and indeed on matters related to Nepal-Russia bilateral ties. Below the results: chief editor.

TGQ1: Excellency! You have just presented your Credentials to the Nepali Court. What plans do you have in your mind to reactivate the almost stagnant Nepal-Russia bilateral ties? Your comments please.

H.E Nazarov: First of all I would like to thank you Mr. Upadhyaya for your kind invitation to give an interview to your esteemed Weekly and to hail your numerous readers. As this is my first contact with the Nepalese media, I would also like to express my respect for you and your colleagues and assure you of my readiness to cooperate.

As for the answer to this and your other questions let me be brief enough since now I am in the process of starting my assignment as the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to the Kingdom of Nepal and still I expect to meet many of your country's leading personalities.

Regarding my plans for further development of the Russian-Nepalese relations I can tell you that they are quite concrete and founded on the deeply rooted traditions of friendship and cooperation between our two countries, on those real results we have achieved during the forty five year history of our relations, on basic principles of international law, on wide community of fundamental interests linking Russia and Nepal in the modern world and finally on shared approaches of both countries to the key problems of the present days. I believe that our countries can act with mutual benefit in the direction of more complete realization of the potential of the Russian-Nepalese cooperation in political, trade, economic, cultural and other fields. The same can be said about our interaction on the world scene. Proceeding from this I will in my activities here lay special emphasis on the revival of the Russian-Nepalese relations under new conditions and filling them with new concrete and practical substance.

TGQ2: Well your Excellency! After the break-up of the USSR, do you consider the Russian Federation-the natural heir of the USSR- still a Super Power? Your exclusive comments please.

H.E.Nazarov: I must tell you that even in the times of the Soviet Union we did not share the view which reduced all the variety of international relations to the concept of rivalry between the so-called super powers. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union the balance of forces in the world has changed, but today as well as before we would not like to consider the international community as a gathering of nations of different grades:; the first grade, the second grade , the third grade etc. We believe that all the states possess sovereign equality and must build up their relations on the basis of the principles of the international law fixed by the UN charter. This approach does not contradict to the fact that those states which possess outstanding human, political, economic, military and other potential bear special responsibility for ensuring international peace and security. So, the Russian Federation as the heir of the USSR and a state acknowledged all over the world as a great power by no means avoids implementation of its peacekeeping commitments on the world scene fully using its universally recognized potential. There is no need to search for examples-you can just analyze any complicated international problem, situation or event and you will see that in every case Russia plays its irreplaceable constructive role.

TGQ3: The Russian Federation of today, Your Excellency, appears to have less interest in expanding her ties with South Asian countries. Is it true or you have something to tell our readers? Your opinions please.

H. E. Nazarov: I understand your question. I want to put it quite clearly that Russia does not confine herself to relationship with Europe and the U.S. The very geopolitical location of my country-Russia is a European state as well as an Asian power-presumes multidirectional and well-balanced policy. Being an integral part of the Asian continent Russia has a wide range of interests here and importance of Asia in the Russian foreign policy will steadily grow. This can be fully referred to South Asia. I think that the official visit to Russia of Prime Minister A. B. Bajpayee to be held in early November will provide us with new proves of this proposition. (The Indian Prime Minister Bajpayee is at the moment in Russia-chief editor). Of course, while speaking about the important place South Asia occupies in the system of Russian foreign policy priorities, alongside with India we have also in view other countries of the region.

TGQ4: The September 11 events this year in the United States has brought practically all the democratic-civilised nations together. However, the indiscriminate bombings in Afghanistan by the US and its allies are also causing civilian deaths. What do you suggest to the US so that the menace of terrorism comes to an end and also no civilians lose their lives? Also tell us how the Russian Federation is viewing the whole affair beginning September 11 till today? Your remarks please.

H. E. Nazarov: Full analysis of the problms mentioned by you requires a separate long article or lecture. If we try to put it in a nutshell I would like to say the following. At the moment there are two major powers in Afghanistan. On the one hand, there is legitimate and internationally recognized government led by President B. Rabbani, on the other-regime created by Taliban movement. It is well known that Talibs have transformed the Afghan territory under their control into the stronghold of international terrorism and extremism, which, as proved by the recent tragic events, is jeopardizing not only regional but the international security as well. Drastic measures which had to be undertaken to neutralize this menace, unfortunately, lead, as one of their consequences, to losses among civil population in Afghanistan. We firmly believe that people like Osama bin Laden and his Talib allies are responsible for those victims as they have practically taken civil population of Afghanistan hostages. As for Russia you may know that at the very beginning of anti-terrorist operation President Vladimir Putin immediately declared that we will give it certain support, but Russia will not participate in the military operation itself. We proceed from a belief that in the long run the Afghan settlement should be political under United Nations auspices.

TGQ5: What sort of role do you expect from the Nepali media in your bid to promote Nepal-Russia ties?

H. E. Nazarov: I hope that the Nepalese media will in a broader scale show to the Nepalese public the life of present day Russia, inform about the real possibilities of development of mutually advantageous cooperation between our two countries and give in this connection the floor to interested personalities of Nepal and Russia from various walks of life: business, politics, culture and etc.

In conclusion, I would like to stress that I consider it a great honor for me to represent the Russian Federation in the Kingdom of Nepal and I hope that while executing my mission I will enjoy understanding and cooperation of all those whom I will be dealing with in this country.

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