Diplomacy is the skill with which one presents and defends one's nation's interests!

Nepal's ministries are running automatically on an adhoc basis, thanks Lord Pashupatinath. It would perhaps continue to run in the same manner provided the men handling the system do not change. It were only his blessings that the nation has survived about ten plus abnormal governments or else the nation would have gone to the dogs long long time back. I salute You Almighty!

The bureaucracy though overly politicized but yet it is this bureaucracy which has been giving an impression that the new order is still not defunct rather counting its last breath in the ICU of Nepal's legendary Bir Hospital. In effect this hospital itself is an ailing one that needs good doctors to heal its variety of internal injuries. It is altogether a different matter that the doctors here could find no time to diagnose the ailments of the nation as they are pretty busy and engrossed in their privately owned poly-clinics. These clinics, understandably, are earning immeasurable amounts at the cost of the poor lots of the nation plus the government hospitals. God bless the Nepali Medicos who are considered almost killers by those who happen to remain under their treatment.

To come back to the point, one write-up that attracted the attention of this newspaper this week runs like this. This has strictly to do with the competence of our foreign ministry officials. Nepal's two "researchers" have found out that Nepali diplomats at the ministry either were incompetent or were not given the needed training which could have made them competent enough to deal with the changed global contexts and surroundings. The findings of the researchers is more than accurate for the ministry till now appears to have failed in developing a mechanism which could make our "politically" affiliated diplomats match with their counterparts abroad while negotiating at the table in Kathmandu or abroad. The research is rather incomplete as the researchers have drawn their conclusion just interviewing seven diplomats based in Kathmandu.

I have been told by a Royal Nepalese Ambassador who served in New Delhi that as and when the Nepali side lands in Delhi for some agreements or negotiations with their Indian counterparts, the Nepali side prefers to listen like a "good boys" to the "views" of the Indian side and practically accepts their proposal or say views in toto without making any objections. This is inevitable because our diplomats do not do their home-works properly.

There is yet another set of Nepali member of the diplomatic corps who prefer to get outside postings for the construction of posh-buildings upon their return to the home country. There is, however, a third set which feels pride in selling the "duty-free" intoxicating beverages at higher prices and amass money. Only two years back one of our Nepali diplomat based in Delhi fortunately or unfortunately was caught red-handed by the Indian Intelligence for committing brash acts. Thanks our permanent caretaker in New Delhi-Shri Chandra Shekhar Jee- that the diplomat was released. I am told that this particular diplomat is out again in some foreign posting. Thanks his political Guru!

Last but not the least, a very robust Ambassador in the days of the erstwhile regime was apprehended while shoplifting in the United States.

Under such varied nation-insulting outline how can our diplomats match the competence of their counterparts abroad. Neither the government nor the so-called and self-proclaimed "competent" diplomats wish to enhance their intellectual strength through rigorous studies of subjects or topics like International Law, Globalization; WTO, Civil Society, Economic Diplomacy, Regional Cooperation, Communication Revolution and Political Science.

Diplomacy is not only visiting friendly countries and tasting various brands of Alcohol or collecting gifts. It is perhaps the skill (modesty, being straightforward, knowledge and the skill of presenting and defending one's nation's views regarding the topic in question under debate) with which one talks and extracts benefits, in economic and political terms for the nation. What is Nepali diplomacy gets best reflected in the manner Nepal is being be-fooled by tiny Bhutan on the refugee issue. This could be the best telling example of our diplomatic acumen.

All said and done, the write up is not printed here to defame the Nepali diplomats. We possess very high regards for our men at the ministry who under such partisan constraints were discharging their duties effectively. However, we too feel insulted when our diplomats commit certain blunders while being abroad.

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