Dr Madan Bhattarai appointed foreign secretary

Kathmandu, 26 Oct: Dr Madan Kumar Bhattarai has been appointed foreign secretary.
The cabinet took the decision Friday.
He succeeds Gyan Chandra Acharya who has been appointed permanent representative to the UN in New York.
Dr Bhattarai is former ambassador to Germany.
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Home Minister Rawal going to China

Kathmandu, 26 Oct: Home Minister Bhim Rawal is visiting China by 31 December, Kantipur reports
Exact date hasn’t been finalized although the home ministry has started homework for the visit.
He received an invitation through Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala who recently visited China.
Rawal will discuss security issues with his counterpart.
China is helping deploy Armed Police Force along the Nepal-Tibet border.
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India keeping Maoists at distance: Mahara

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 26 Oct: Top Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara said his party feels Indian ruling class are keeping Nepal’s main opposition at a distance,
“…I do not label our relations with India as bad. Still then, we have sensed that the Indian ruling class wants to keep us at a distance.
“However, we are in regular touch with the Indian leaders said office bearers,” the chief of the party foreign department told The Rising Nepal.
Mahara claimed China feels it would be earlier for Beijing to deal with a government led by Maoists.
“As per Chinese foreign policy of non-interference, the leaders did not specify who should be leading the government, But, of course, they were in the opinion that it would be easier for them to deal if we were leading the government,” Mahara said.
He was responding to a question: You have been arguing that without a national unity government led by your party, peace and constitution writing cannot be accomplished. What was the Chinese view in this connection?
Mahara accompanied Prachanda on his just completed China visit when President Hu Jintao met the Nepalese communists.
“We have found that Chinese leaders are more positive to us now compared to their perception of us in the past,” Mahara added.
China, in the past, said Nepal’s Maoists were defaming the founder of modern China by tagging his name to the party.
“China wishes that there is a national consensus government in Nepal,” Mahara said.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar has termed the Upendra Uadav-led Madesh Janaadhikar Forum an NGO run by foreigners.”

(The Himalayan Times report, 26 Oct.)
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