World Desk, AnyTV, Kathmandu
Published by: Harendra Chaudhary
Updated Mon, 21 Feb 2022 05:11 PM IST
Summary
The US has warned that if Nepal does not accept this aid, it will reconsider its bilateral relations with Nepal. On the other hand, China reacted strongly to this threat of America last weekend. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the US threat “coercive diplomacy”.
The issue of taking financial assistance from the American organization Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has become a neck for the Nepal government. On the one hand, she is caught in the tug of war between America and China, while on this issue there has been a situation of political instability and unrest in the country.
On Sunday, the government tabled a proposal in Parliament to approve the agreement to accept $500 million in aid from the MCC. On the other hand, public demonstrations were held at various places across the country. In many places, the police had to use tear gas and sticks to disperse the crowd. Communist parties of Nepal are continuously opposing this proposal.
country’s parliament will decide
Meanwhile, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement that the country’s Parliament will now decide which development aid is in the interest of the country and the people of Nepal. The Ministry of External Affairs said- ‘Nepal has always followed an independent, balanced and non-aligned foreign policy. Following this policy, Nepal as a sovereign country has accepted and utilized development assistance as per its national needs and priorities.
This statement of the Ministry of External Affairs has been considered important in diplomatic circles. The US has warned that if Nepal does not accept this aid, it will reconsider its bilateral relations with Nepal. On the other hand, China reacted strongly to this threat of America last weekend. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the US threat “coercive diplomacy”. Analysts say that there are pro-groups of both the US and China in Nepal. Therefore, the international tussle of these two big powers is also being reflected in the internal politics of Nepal.
The agreement with MCC was signed in 2017. For it to be implemented, it needs to be approved by the Parliament. Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in the Nepali Congress-led coalition government, tabled the approval motion in Parliament on Sunday. This was done despite objections from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), which is part of the ruling coalition. Speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, Agni Sapkota, has said that the motion will be discussed.
America told a gift to help
According to reports in Nepali newspapers, sharp differences persist within the ruling coalition over the issue of accepting MCC’s aid. Therefore, it is understood that the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken a big risk by presenting the approval proposal.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Kathmandu has said that the MCC aid is a US gift to Nepal, which will create jobs and build infrastructure in Nepal there. The embassy has pointed out that it was decided to provide this help on the request of the Government of Nepal. There has been complete transparency in this proposal.
The embassy issued this statement on Saturday. But it has shown no effect on opponents of US aid. Protests took place across the country against this proposal on Sunday. Observers say that due to public outcry, it is unlikely that the approval motion will be easily passed in Parliament.
Expansion
The issue of taking financial assistance from the American organization Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has become a neck for the Nepal government. On the one hand, she is caught in the tug of war between America and China, while on this issue there has been a situation of political instability and unrest in the country.
On Sunday, the government tabled a proposal in Parliament to approve the agreement to accept $500 million in aid from the MCC. On the other hand, public demonstrations were held at various places across the country. In many places, the police had to use tear gas and sticks to disperse the crowd. Communist parties of Nepal are continuously opposing this proposal.
country’s parliament will decide
Meanwhile, Nepal’s Foreign Ministry has said in a statement that the country’s Parliament will now decide which development aid is in the interest of the country and the people of Nepal. The Ministry of External Affairs said- ‘Nepal has always followed an independent, balanced and non-aligned foreign policy. Following this policy, Nepal as a sovereign country has accepted and utilized development assistance as per its national needs and priorities.
This statement of the Ministry of External Affairs has been considered important in diplomatic circles. The US has warned that if Nepal does not accept this aid, it will reconsider its bilateral relations with Nepal. On the other hand, China reacted strongly to this threat of America last weekend. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman called the US threat “coercive diplomacy”. Analysts say that there are pro-groups of both the US and China in Nepal. Therefore, the international tussle of these two big powers is also being reflected in the internal politics of Nepal.
The agreement with MCC was signed in 2017. For it to be implemented, it needs to be approved by the Parliament. Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, Minister of Communications and Information Technology in the Nepali Congress-led coalition government, tabled the approval motion in Parliament on Sunday. This was done despite objections from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), which is part of the ruling coalition. Speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower house of parliament, Agni Sapkota, has said that the motion will be discussed.
America told a gift to help
According to reports in Nepali newspapers, sharp differences persist within the ruling coalition over the issue of accepting MCC’s aid. Therefore, it is understood that the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has taken a big risk by presenting the approval proposal.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Kathmandu has said that the MCC aid is a US gift to Nepal, which will create jobs and build infrastructure in Nepal there. The embassy has pointed out that it was decided to provide this help on the request of the Government of Nepal. There has been complete transparency in this proposal.
The embassy issued this statement on Saturday. But it has shown no effect on opponents of US aid. Protests took place across the country against this proposal on Sunday. Observers say that due to public outcry, it is unlikely that the approval motion will be easily passed in Parliament.