US envoy meets Nepalīs Maoists, discusses democratic commitment
Surya B. Prasai
May 02, 2008
According to the US Embassy in Kathmandu, US Ambassador to Nepal, Nancy Powell met yesterday with CPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and discussed the outcome of the April 10 Constituent Assembly elections. The CPN-M had won the elections with a simple majority, and according to a trusted source, the Maoists haveindicated their willingness to form a simple majority government with possible tie-up to one or two other parties, which could exclude the Nepali Congress and the Nepali Communist Party-UML. Powell in her meeting with Prachanda also discussed on the CPN-Mīs plans for the Constituent Assembly, and the future of U.S.-Nepal relations. This was the first meeting from the American and CPN-M side. The meeting occurred in advance of Powellīs return to the United States on Friday for consultations on U.S.-Nepal relations.
The Maoists have promised to unfurl a democratic coalition, abiding by Western democratic norms, protection of Nepali peopleīs human rights, possible integration of the eligible ex-Maoist militia within or allied with the Nepal Army and other Nepali disciplined forces, restructuring of development plans to make Nepal a prosperous country within 20 years whereby the basic infrastructure outlay would be completed within three years and a transitional take off stage attempted within half a decade, and respect for the Nepali voters wishes to see the permanent establishment of a Nepali democracy, for, by and of the Nepali people enshrined in a new constitution that would enshrine genuine Nepali culture, tradition and beliefs. Internally, they are known to be doing homework to re-tailor the Nepali economy to promote proactive public-private partnerships that support globalization, given Nepalīs inevitable geopolitical positioning between India and China, the worldīs two fastest moving economies. The Maoist leaders have told World Bank officials recently that they are open to dialogue on using Nepalīs water resources for the mutual benefit of the region and improving the Kathmandu urbanization plan, where in-migration has been taking a heavy toll on natural resources. The Maoists have also shown preference for developing Nepal as a transitional economic free trade zone in the India-China-Japan-South Korea growth quadrangle enshrined by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The US Embassy Kathmandu press release further elaborates that Ambassador Powell provided an overview of current U.S. government assistance to Nepal designed to help create a more prosperous, democratic, and stable Nepal. She sought assurances that the new government would respect current donor agreements and ensure the safety of those implementing them. Powell is also known to have encouraged Prachanda to ensure that all Maoist organizations illustrate their commitment to the political process through their words and actions.
Earlier Ambassador Powell had met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and inquired on the governmentīs treatment of Tibetans in Kathmandu, amidst reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that the government had used heavy handed tactics. According to Kathmandu media sources, the US Ambassador had asked Koirala to exercise restraint against peaceful demonstrations staged by Tibetan exiles. Ambassador Powell urged the PM to ensure that the right to peaceful protest was maintained and that the human rights of Tibetans in Nepal are respected.
However, Aditya Baral, the senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Koirala has stated, "The Prime Minister affirmed that Nepal cannot and will not deviate from the one-China policy, as it was in the mutual interest of both the immediate neighbors and he did clarify that the government was observing restraint to the extent possible."
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has repeatedly stated in the past week that Nepal cannot deviate from its īone-Chinaī policy and cannot allow anti-China activities to take place in the Nepali territory at a time when thousands of international Free Tibet activists have descended upon Kathmandu in the run off to the Beijing Olympics. Beijing had already foreseen this problem a few months back and has been mobilizing its diplomacy from Kathmandu and other Asian capitals to present a more positive human rights image. Kathmandu is the nearest global vicinity with excellent press and media coverage resources where the Free Tibet activists can gain a strong international free media foothold.
Baral also briefed Nepalīs media that the US Ambassador was going to Washington for a periodic update on the Nepal situation and had met Koirala to enquire about the latest developments regarding the Constituent Assembly and government formation procedures with regard to her visit. The Nepali PM in turn had assured Powell that a consensus government was the incoming mandate of the election and that the next government would be formed accordingly.
Prior to the Nepal CA Poll, the US had renewed its support for a peaceful election through which all Nepalis can freely choose their own future. This election was termed by the US government as an historic opportunity for the Nepali people to choose their representatives who could decide the constitutional framework for Nepal's future government. In supporting the CA Polls, the US had provided crucial assistance to Nepal which involved logistical, operational and financial support to the Election Commission and the security forces, the political parties and domestic observers, including the Nepali media. A major part of that activity involved ballot design, printing ballot papers, and training for Nepal Police and the Nepal Armed Police Force, besides helping set up the ECīs Joint Election Operations Center. Nepal and the US have always enjoyed excellent relations with the highest number of Nepali foreign students studying in the US.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has hinted it might open up to any organization that is tipped towards "legitimate reconciliation through political system", indicating a possible change in its perspective towards the Nepali Maoists following the latter's win in the recently held Constituent Assembly election. "In any terrorist organization or any terrorist situation, if there is a way for reconciliation legally and lawfully through the political system, obviously we prefer that," said Dell Dailey, Coordinator in the State Department's Office for Counter Terrorism while briefing journalists on the State Department's Annual Terrorism Report in Washington on Wednesday. According to Dailey, "And there are places where that's taking place already. It is taking place in Nepal, although it's had some ups and downs. But we prefer a legitimate reconciliation and reintegration politically long before we go after and try and do a coordinated, integrated, with host nation military action."
Although Dailey has not spelt out clearly whether the State Department is considering taking Maoists off the list of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, Nepali and Asian media sources hint that State Department legal eagles are carefully studying the current procedures and hurdles in taking the Maoists from the list, which would otherwise impede US business transactions and foreign assistance dispensation. Until now, the US still regards the CPN-Maoist as a terrorist group, although Nepalīs Maoists have now expressed their commitment to run a fully democratic īmodelī government. Moreover, Nepalīs CA Poll was certified as a global democratic model passing the highest electoral standards by the Carter Center, the European Union, ANFRIL and the Japanese Election Observation Parliamentary Delegation, despite some incidences of violence.
Meanwhile in Kathmandu, Sitaram Yechury, senior leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist has expressed deep satisfaction on the positive political developments in Nepal, hoping that the historicity of the CA Poll will be reflected in the Maoist led coalition government soon. He wished on behalf of his party that the New Nepal government will pay utmost respect to the people's wishes and preserve the democratic values enshrined.
Yechuryīs visit comes at a time when CP Gajurel from CPN-M has wished that the Indo-Nepal Treaty of 1950, be better left off for the next Nepal Government to decide, and on which the Maoists have expressed some reservations in the past. However, it is believed Indiaīs new Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood, who is one of South Blockīs brightest academicians and internationally well known conflict resolution-cum-democratic transitions expert, is all set to take a frank and deep overhaul on existing Nepal-India relations and how to improve them to a more harmonious plane that will benefit both countries including in the political, economic and cultural dimensions in the days to come.
India has already expressed its unflinching support to the New Nepal government once it is formed which includes giving all required financial and logistical support to bring the Nepalese state infrastructure parallel to its own, without which further Nepali economic progress is not conceivable. It is learnt Nepalīs Shital Niwas (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is also pursuing its own internal study on refreshing and improving Indo-Nepal relations attuned to the new politico-economic context.
The Maoists have promised to unfurl a democratic coalition, abiding by Western democratic norms, protection of Nepali peopleīs human rights, possible integration of the eligible ex-Maoist militia within or allied with the Nepal Army and other Nepali disciplined forces, restructuring of development plans to make Nepal a prosperous country within 20 years whereby the basic infrastructure outlay would be completed within three years and a transitional take off stage attempted within half a decade, and respect for the Nepali voters wishes to see the permanent establishment of a Nepali democracy, for, by and of the Nepali people enshrined in a new constitution that would enshrine genuine Nepali culture, tradition and beliefs. Internally, they are known to be doing homework to re-tailor the Nepali economy to promote proactive public-private partnerships that support globalization, given Nepalīs inevitable geopolitical positioning between India and China, the worldīs two fastest moving economies. The Maoist leaders have told World Bank officials recently that they are open to dialogue on using Nepalīs water resources for the mutual benefit of the region and improving the Kathmandu urbanization plan, where in-migration has been taking a heavy toll on natural resources. The Maoists have also shown preference for developing Nepal as a transitional economic free trade zone in the India-China-Japan-South Korea growth quadrangle enshrined by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
The US Embassy Kathmandu press release further elaborates that Ambassador Powell provided an overview of current U.S. government assistance to Nepal designed to help create a more prosperous, democratic, and stable Nepal. She sought assurances that the new government would respect current donor agreements and ensure the safety of those implementing them. Powell is also known to have encouraged Prachanda to ensure that all Maoist organizations illustrate their commitment to the political process through their words and actions.
Earlier Ambassador Powell had met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and inquired on the governmentīs treatment of Tibetans in Kathmandu, amidst reports from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that the government had used heavy handed tactics. According to Kathmandu media sources, the US Ambassador had asked Koirala to exercise restraint against peaceful demonstrations staged by Tibetan exiles. Ambassador Powell urged the PM to ensure that the right to peaceful protest was maintained and that the human rights of Tibetans in Nepal are respected.
However, Aditya Baral, the senior Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Koirala has stated, "The Prime Minister affirmed that Nepal cannot and will not deviate from the one-China policy, as it was in the mutual interest of both the immediate neighbors and he did clarify that the government was observing restraint to the extent possible."
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has repeatedly stated in the past week that Nepal cannot deviate from its īone-Chinaī policy and cannot allow anti-China activities to take place in the Nepali territory at a time when thousands of international Free Tibet activists have descended upon Kathmandu in the run off to the Beijing Olympics. Beijing had already foreseen this problem a few months back and has been mobilizing its diplomacy from Kathmandu and other Asian capitals to present a more positive human rights image. Kathmandu is the nearest global vicinity with excellent press and media coverage resources where the Free Tibet activists can gain a strong international free media foothold.
Baral also briefed Nepalīs media that the US Ambassador was going to Washington for a periodic update on the Nepal situation and had met Koirala to enquire about the latest developments regarding the Constituent Assembly and government formation procedures with regard to her visit. The Nepali PM in turn had assured Powell that a consensus government was the incoming mandate of the election and that the next government would be formed accordingly.
Prior to the Nepal CA Poll, the US had renewed its support for a peaceful election through which all Nepalis can freely choose their own future. This election was termed by the US government as an historic opportunity for the Nepali people to choose their representatives who could decide the constitutional framework for Nepal's future government. In supporting the CA Polls, the US had provided crucial assistance to Nepal which involved logistical, operational and financial support to the Election Commission and the security forces, the political parties and domestic observers, including the Nepali media. A major part of that activity involved ballot design, printing ballot papers, and training for Nepal Police and the Nepal Armed Police Force, besides helping set up the ECīs Joint Election Operations Center. Nepal and the US have always enjoyed excellent relations with the highest number of Nepali foreign students studying in the US.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has hinted it might open up to any organization that is tipped towards "legitimate reconciliation through political system", indicating a possible change in its perspective towards the Nepali Maoists following the latter's win in the recently held Constituent Assembly election. "In any terrorist organization or any terrorist situation, if there is a way for reconciliation legally and lawfully through the political system, obviously we prefer that," said Dell Dailey, Coordinator in the State Department's Office for Counter Terrorism while briefing journalists on the State Department's Annual Terrorism Report in Washington on Wednesday. According to Dailey, "And there are places where that's taking place already. It is taking place in Nepal, although it's had some ups and downs. But we prefer a legitimate reconciliation and reintegration politically long before we go after and try and do a coordinated, integrated, with host nation military action."
Although Dailey has not spelt out clearly whether the State Department is considering taking Maoists off the list of designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations, Nepali and Asian media sources hint that State Department legal eagles are carefully studying the current procedures and hurdles in taking the Maoists from the list, which would otherwise impede US business transactions and foreign assistance dispensation. Until now, the US still regards the CPN-Maoist as a terrorist group, although Nepalīs Maoists have now expressed their commitment to run a fully democratic īmodelī government. Moreover, Nepalīs CA Poll was certified as a global democratic model passing the highest electoral standards by the Carter Center, the European Union, ANFRIL and the Japanese Election Observation Parliamentary Delegation, despite some incidences of violence.
Meanwhile in Kathmandu, Sitaram Yechury, senior leader of Communist Party of India-Marxist has expressed deep satisfaction on the positive political developments in Nepal, hoping that the historicity of the CA Poll will be reflected in the Maoist led coalition government soon. He wished on behalf of his party that the New Nepal government will pay utmost respect to the people's wishes and preserve the democratic values enshrined.
Yechuryīs visit comes at a time when CP Gajurel from CPN-M has wished that the Indo-Nepal Treaty of 1950, be better left off for the next Nepal Government to decide, and on which the Maoists have expressed some reservations in the past. However, it is believed Indiaīs new Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood, who is one of South Blockīs brightest academicians and internationally well known conflict resolution-cum-democratic transitions expert, is all set to take a frank and deep overhaul on existing Nepal-India relations and how to improve them to a more harmonious plane that will benefit both countries including in the political, economic and cultural dimensions in the days to come.
India has already expressed its unflinching support to the New Nepal government once it is formed which includes giving all required financial and logistical support to bring the Nepalese state infrastructure parallel to its own, without which further Nepali economic progress is not conceivable. It is learnt Nepalīs Shital Niwas (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) is also pursuing its own internal study on refreshing and improving Indo-Nepal relations attuned to the new politico-economic context.