CNI Clarifies

Dear Editor,

Our attention has been drawn to the Editorial of The Weekly Telegraph dated Wednesday, 08 September 2004, which gives an erroneous picture concerning CNI and it's responsibility to the international dignitaries attending the CNI Partnership Summit – 2004 on September 2 & 3, 2004.

We are sure that if you had taken a little time to contact CNI in order to verify the facts The Weekly Telegraph would not be basing its editorial content on erroneous information. Since the editorial was damaging to our work philosophy and professionalism we thought it would be appropriate for us to bring to light the true picture to your esteemed readers.

Everyone is well aware of the unanticipated violent reactions that started in the morning of September 1st in Kathmandu to the unfortunate incident of the killing of 12 of our fellow countrymen in Iraq. Some members of CNI who had reached Hyatt Regency in the morning, which was the venue of our AGM scheduled for 09:30 am on 1st September, as well as the venue for the Summit business sessions and the residential hotel for the delegates, started closely and continuously monitoring the situation in the valley. When it became clear that given the then prevailing situation it was not possible to go ahead with the Summit, it was decided to postpone the Summit in consultation with the Government and the participant's Embassies in Kathmandu.

 Accordingly, the CNI members present at Hyatt, acting as a crisis management team, started to immediately roll – back the program. As a first step some members started coordinating with the Embassies of the home countries of the dignitaries in Kathmandu and working together with them to ensure that the news of the postponement reached the dignitaries immediately whilst other members started calling dignitaries and other international participants directly to inform them of the postponement. As a result of the active and close cooperation of the Missions in Kathmandu as well as the quick response by the CNI team, out of around 50 foreign delegates only one or two participants whose aircrafts were already air – borne could not be informed in time. As a result of the message net - working Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad was able to avoid boarding the private aircraft in Kuala Lumpur that was to bring him to Kathmandu. The Indian Minister was informed well before his boarding time and so stayed back in Delhi. Prof. Peiris, who had arrived in Delhi on the 31st evening, was contacted in Delhi and his stay in Delhi plus his return flight to Sri Lanka was organized and managed by CNI. Since the Thai Airways flight had already left Bangkok by the time it seemed advisable to postpone the Summit, the Dignitary from Thailand landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport. He was met at the airport by representatives of CNI and keeping in view the then situation in the city the dignitary was given the option of either coming to the Hyatt Regency from the Airport by a special helicopter kindly provided by Karnali Air that CNI had arranged or he could return to Bangkok by the same flight. He chose the latter and CNI facilitated his return to Bangkok.

 So it can be seen that even under extremely adverse and trying conditions and oblivious of its own security needs, CNI, in close cooperation with the concerned Embassies in Kathmandu as well as HMG/N and Government security organizations did everything within its means to ensure the safety, security and comfort of its guests, not only of the dignitaries but other international guests also. As a consequence, a bigger potential crisis was averted. Simultaneously, even though the telephones were not working and there were severe limitations in terms of mobility, we managed to inform through the media the postponement of the Summit as a result of which the news was available to all by the afternoon of the same day.

 CNI would be grateful to you if you could publish this letter so that the distorted picture of CNI that the editorial presented to its readers can be corrected and the true perspective presented.

Thanking you,

Yours truly,

Min Bahadur Karki
Director General.

Telegraph replies: The editorial board of The Telegraph Weekly still stick with the authenticity of the information on which the editorial was based. Thanks- Ed

Sarup's article missing!

Dear Editor,

Kamala Sarup's article is a very poignant commentary on the current tragedies of the conflict in Nepal.

Hope to see her articles.

Dr. Thapa
UN Hedquaters
GENEVA.

Chalo Dilli!

Dear  Editor,

This is very nice to read about such a wonderful article about INDO-Nepal relation. You are very right that for Indian bureaucrats, all policy has two side and they don't feel comfortable to look into the other side. This is a policy which Dilli Durbar and all their people love to follow. In fact, all Nepali should learn about their patriotism.

Good touch of writing ,congrats

Anand Acharya
London

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