Nepal on the path of political stability: PM Oli
Special Correspondent Ramesh Lamshal
NEW DELHI, April 7: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said Nepal has embarked on the path of political stability with the successful conduct of the three-tier elections.
PM Oli, who is currently on the State Visit to India, said during the civic reception organized by India Foundation in New Delhi Saturday that the local, provincial and federal elections held in 2017 were historic in many ways. Following these, Nepal was able to have elected representatives in all 753 local level bodies after a gap of nearly two decades.
“Ours is the dream of a prosperous Nepal where people will have decent living and youths will have decent jobs; where our infrastructure will be better and our vast, untapped resources will be converted into economic benefits and wealth. It’s a dream of overcoming the vicious circle of poverty, underdevelopment and social backwardness,” he informed the participants.
POLITICAL TRANSFORMATION ENVISAGED IN CONSTITUTION
According to him, a major political transformation envisaged in the constitution was the restructuring of the State into federal set up. For the first time in our history, Nepal now has seven provincial assemblies and provincial governments.
Government at doorstep’ is Nepal’s constitutional spirit, which has now been structurally realized, he added.
Similarly, the PM shared that the elections were hugely participative and results were inclusive. Voters’ turnout was over 70 percent in average. Through the elections, Nepal has been able to ensure over 41 percent of women representation in elected bodies. This is not a small achievement by any standard. And, our intention is to bridge the remaining 9 percent gap.
INTERMITTENT GLITCHES IN RELATIONS REALITY
The PM made aware the participants that it is a neighborhood reality that the two countries often witness intermittent glitches in our relations. It is a fact that we have witnessed difficult times in our relations. We have gone through the cycles of ups and downs; highs and lows in our relations.
“I am sharing this frankly because open discussions help improve the thrust and course of relationship. We, leaders on both sides, are capable to review and introspect where things went wrong and how we could do better in future,” he argued.
The PM further said it is natural that Nepal has certain expectations from India as a large neighbor and a country with rising global stature in many ways.
Neighborhood realities, as he said, are distinct in many respects and accordingly dictate the terms of overall engagements. Good neighborliness demands harmonious co-existence forever. And, trust is the key cementing factor. It derives its strength from the observance of such fundamental principles as equality, justice, mutual respect and benefit as well as non-interference, he reminded.
Moreover, the PM underscored that as friendly neighbors, the two countries need to be aware of, and respect for, each other’s concerns and sensitivities. Nepal has not allowed its land to be used against the sovereign interests of India. Nepal is firm in its resolve to maintain this position. And it is natural that Nepal expects similar assurance from India.
“We are in the changed context both at home and abroad. Our domestic political realties dictate the values and course of our action both internally and externally. We have defined our goals, priorities, strategies and actions for nation-building. Likewise, we want to inject fresh perspectives into our relations with external world,” he mentioned.
Our foreign policy priority begins at our borders. Talking about India, our foreign policy objective is to strengthen the foundation of relations, but not to weaken it; objective is to expand and consolidate relations, but not to limit the scope or unravel it; and objective is to bring our relations to the next level, but not to slide back. Our objective is clear. Our intention is pure. Our determination is strong. And, our efforts will be robust.
NEPAL NOT A COMPETITOR OF INDIA
According to the PM, the wonderful journey of India as a major economic powerhouse is an inspiration for many people around the world and more so in our neighborhood.
About the trade relations, PM Oli said for Nepal, India remains the largest trading partner. However, the problem of bilateral trade deficit looms large. Its economy cannot sustain alarmingly high trade imbalance with India. Its continuance will pose a serious threat to Nepal’s economy. Nepal is not a competitor of India. It needs a breathing space.
“I am sure many of you would agree when I say that helping Nepal to be economically strong serves India’s vital interest,” he reminded.
Therefore, we need to focus our attention to diversify our trade basket and scale up the volume of exports from Nepal to India, he asserted.
The provisions of the 1996 Trade Treaty were highly supportive for Nepal’s trade. The Treaty’s initial period was an encouraging period in the Nepal-India trade relationship, as the Prime Minister stated.
As he mentioned, measures such as removal of quantitative restrictions, tariff quota reduction and downward revision of value addition criteria, simplification and streamlining of procedures and easy access to quarantine and testing facilities could ease the difficult situation.
STRESS ON INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT
According to him, investment in infrastructures and streamline the procedures is necessary to increase the flow of goods and augment trade.
“India has extended generous assistance to finance development endeavors of Nepal. It has helped to diversify our economy, build up the infrastructure, and enhance our industrial base. However, there is much to do to scale up our economic cooperation and timely delivery of agreed projects.”
We must create the stories of success; we must translate our pledges into performance to further intensify the economic cooperation, he asserted.
Nepal’s hydropower development is an important sector for bilateral partnership. It will benefit the people and industries of both of our countries. We need to generate a success story by sincerely implementing the projects agreed in the past such as Pancheshwor in its true spirit.
NEPAL, DESTINATION FOR INDIAN TOURISTS
Nepal is a desired destination for Indian tourists. Attracted by the natural heritage as well as religious sites, Indian tourists can further contribute to Nepal’s economy, he said, adding that to enhance the flow of people, for enterprise as well as tourism – we need to further expand air connectivity and road and rail linkages. Cross-border connectivity is very important to unleash development potentials and to spur growth, he said during the civic reception.
The importance of connectivity cannot be overemphasized for a landlocked country like ours. India has been providing overland transit facilities to Nepal for international trade, Prime Minister Oli further said. “When I talk about connectivity I recall what Prime Minister Modiji eloquently highlighted the idea of HIT (highways, information ways and transmission ways) while addressing the Legislature-Parliament of Nepal during his first visit to Nepal in August 2014. We need to realize this vision.”
As connectivity is important for all of us, we underline the need for developing regional and sub-regional connectivity arrangements. We need to ensure that bilateral as well as regional connectivity and transit arrangements run smoothly without any interruption at all times. Recourse to obstacles in the movement of goods, services and people should not have any place in today’s interconnected world and in interconnected neighborhood.
ASIA’S RENAISSANCE
According to Prime Minister Oli, we are living in an interesting time in terms of the shifting power equation in the world and the transformed geopolitical orientation. Asia’s centrality in today’s world stage has been affirmed by the fascinating combination of economics, demography and its value system. Having possessed a third of the Earth’s landmass and almost two third of the world population, mostly young and energetic, Asia’s renaissance has become irresistible and irreversible.
“I call it renaissance because Asia’s gain of supremacy is not a first time phenomenon. What we see today is rather the return of Asia to the glorious world podium of 200 years back. It’s a return to the time when Asia homes the world’s oldest and most affluent civilizations. Return to the time when it produced the world’s best artists and architect; best physics and metaphysics; most sophisticated education system and most enlightening writings on governance and statecraft.
When majority of the world was reeling in the darkness of superstition, this region, centuries back, produced Vedanta, the world’s most elaborate treatise of knowledge and wisdom as well as a most advanced philosophical system, and Buddhism, the most revered guiding principles on peace and nonviolence; and the notion of global fraternity and happiness”, he said.
The PM added that past 200 years were rather an aberration in Asia’s prominence and argued that the reality is that in the past 200 years, poverty and backwardness became most of Asia’s identity.
“Asia is already on the log march to success and prosperity. This journey may not be smooth and uninterrupted, but it is on,” he stated.
Furthermore, he said that as important as the tangible indicators of development are, we need to make sure that the core Asian values of universal fraternity, peaceful co-existence, respect for diversity and sense of equality guide our ways as these are the values that stand as fortress to ensure world’s peace and security and sustainability of its development.
Likewise, the PM argued Asian values have the potential not only to bring us, the Asians, closer but also contribute to the world’s better future. “These were born out of our collective, civilizational conviction on harmony, discipline and primacy of the larger public good and interest over petty individual self-centeredness,” he observed.
He said that Asian values underscore, as the fundamental prerequisite to development, the need to build solid and well-functioning state institutions.
ASIA INVENTED PANCHSHEEL
According to him, Asia invented panchsheel that have not only become the core principles of the UN Charter but also provided the nations around the world the modus vivendi for living together peacefully despite differences and working together to serve mutual interest. Nepal’s adherence to panchsheel is unwavering.
DETERMINATION FOR CLOSER AND MUTUALLY REWARDING RELATIONS
During the civic reception organized by India Foundation, Prime Minister Oli said that Nepal’s engagement with the rest of the world, as stipulated in its Constitution, remains shaped by the principles of Panchasheel, non-alignment, UN Charter, international law, and norms of world peace.
“Nepal was among the few countries that remained independent throughout its history. The fact of history is rooted the abounding sense of national pride of today’s 28 million Nepalis. We, therefore, hold dearer than anything else the principles of sovereignty, independence and non-interference”, he said.
The Prime Minister noted, “We pursue an independent foreign policy and our conduct of external relations is based on a balanced outlook”.
He further said that nationalism was the protection of sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence, and fulfillment of our national interest. “We are a proud people of a country that always remained independent throughout its history. Our sense of nationalism does not harbor ill will against anyone”, he asserted, adding “Our people have always demonstrated great degree of resilience in times of difficulties and their confidence was never shaken”.
Prime Minister Oli went on saying that amity with all and enmity with none was the motto of Nepal’s foreign policy. “We seek to foster relations with neighbors and all friendly countries around the world based on justice, sovereign equality, mutual respect and benefit”.
In regard to Nepal-India relations, we must seize the opportunities to make our relations fruitful to the lives of our peoples, he argued, adding that as close neighbors we share a common destiny demanding collective pursuit of prosperity.
“We want to create a model relationship which makes not only us but our posterity equally proud of our accomplishment. With this spirit in mind we have tasked the EPG-NIR to come forward with concrete recommendations on making Nepal-India relations truly beneficial for both of our countries and peoples”.
PM Oli reiterated his determination for closer and mutually rewarding relations between the two countries.