New York, Sept. 24
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has made it clear to the international community that his government has focused on three points- taking peace process to a logical conclusion, writing a new constitution and attaining economic prosperity.
He has also clarified that the government is firm on establishing durable peace, human rights and democracy.
Prachanda stressed on these issues while speaking in different programmes on Wednesday in New York. The Prime Minister had meetings with various world leaders including US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher.
Speaking during an interaction on ‘New Nepal: Challenges of Peace and Democracy’ organised by Asia Society on Wednesday in New York PM Prachanda stated that his government was working for peace, writing of new constitution and economic prosperity.
He made it a point that his dream had been materialised by coming to power through the popular mandate in the election.
Responding to a query on peace process and state restructuring by Shamuel Tamrat of the UN department for foreign affairs, PM Prachanda stated that the first priority of the state was taking peace process to a logical conclusion and many issues related to state restructuring had already been agreed upon.
He said that technical aspects of state restructuring would be agreed upon within next six months and the task of writing new constitution would be completed within a year.
PM Prachanda remarked that he was influenced by the American revolution.
When asked about the US definition of his party, CPN-Maoist, as the ‘terrorist outfit,’ PM Prachanda who is also the chairman of the CPN-Maoist, replied that he had urged the US officials to review their position about his party in the context that his party had been made victorious by the people and that it was committed to peace process.
PM Prachanda said that he found the US officials positive in his urge for the review of their perception of his party.
Saying that his party wanted to make Nepal as peaceful and developed as Switzerland he urged the international community for increased support.
The PM said that his government was focused on building a skilled youth force and that it had started programmes to that end in the budget when asked about special programmes in Nepal for the youth.
He said that Nepal’s immediate neighbours, India and China, were willing to help to construct electric railway in the Terai plains and Lhasa-Kathmandu railway respectively.
Speaking on economic issues, PM Prachanda clarified that he was against feudal economy but not against capitalist one. He said the government wanted to uplift rural economy by setting up cooperatives in the joint investment of the private and public sectors.
He assured that his government would work for reviving the carpet export when asked about dwindling Nepalese carpet trade.
Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Richard Boucher has expressed commitment that the US would provide all possible assistance for Nepal’s economic development.
Boucher made this fresh commitment in his meeting Wednesday morning (Nepali standard time) with Prime Minister Prachanda who is currently in New York to attend the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly.
In a reception hosted by Boucher, PM Prachanda had urged the US government for continued support for economic transformation in Nepal.
PM Prachanda made it clear to Boucher that his government was committed to upholding the norms and values of democracy, human rights, and establishing durable peace in the country.
Assistant Secretary Boucher informed the PM that he was visiting Nepal soon.
Chief secretary Dr. Bhojraj Ghimire, PM’s personal secretary Shakti Basnet, foreign secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya, Nepalese ambassador to the USA Dr. Suresh Chandra Chalise, Nepal’s permanent representative to the UN Madhu Raman Acharya and PM’s foreign affairs advisor Hira Bahadur Thapa were also present during PM’s meeting with Boucher.
According to a member of the delegation, there was no discussion over removal of CPN-Maoist from the ‘group of concern’ list US State Department maintains that loosely defines the former rebel party as a ‘terrorist outfit’.
PM Prachanda also inspected the office of Nepal’s permanent representative to the UN today. On the occasion, he assured that the present government would not call back any ambassadors like the previous ones and urged all deputed in Nepalese diplomatic missions to work for the government.
PM Prachanda also met with Qatari Sheikh Hamid Bin Khalifa and the duo discussed about further development of ties between the two countries, Qatari investment in Nepal and labour opportunity for Nepalese in Qatar, according to a statement issued by the Nepalese Mission to the UN.
Similarly, the PM had parleys with Cuban vice-president Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, Mongolian Prime Minister Bayar Sanj and Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavarov on issues including peace process in Nepal.
PM Prachanda also attended a dinner hosted by UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon in honour of the delegates.
