Ambassador Berry accomplishes MCC, fails SPP as he wraps up Nepal mission

"I will miss the gaiety of Dashain in Kathmandu. This is a special time here. I would like to wish everyone who is celebrating the festival a happy Happy Dashain."

Randy Berry, who was about to return to the US after serving as ambassador to Nepal, wrote this message on the day of Ghatasthapana, wishing Nepali people a Happy Dashain. Along with this message, he also posted a picture of him flying a kite at his residence in Kamaladi. Ambassador Berry, who is well aware that kites are flown in Kathmandu during Dashain, extended his best wishes along with pictures to win the hearts of Nepali people.

It is said that an ambassador should not only stay close to the political level to expand relations with another country, but should also improve public relations. He should be able to socialize with the local people. American Ambassador Berry did the same in Kathmandu.

When Berry took charge as the U.S. ambassador to Nepal in 2018, he engaged himself in activities to win the hearts of Nepali citizens from the very beginning. His pictures on social media speak volumes about how he directly participated in Lhosar in Kathmandu to the Chhath festival in Janakpur.

Participation of a foreign diplomat in the festival celebrated by Nepalis is a part of "Public and Cultural Diplomacy", which made the jovial Ambassador Berry popular among the citizens.

Ambassador Berry never got tired of describing the beauty of Nepal and tasted the food items of Tarai to Newari in Kathmandu. Berry, who has traveled to many places from the mountains to the plains in Nepal, was attracted by our natural beauties. He was always fascinated by Nepali hospitality.

However, one of Berry's jobs under 'Public Diplomacy' earned controversy. In May 2019, Berry launched the weekly online program 'Rajdoot Sanga Gaf-gaaf', in which he answered questions from Nepali citizens on public issues every week via video.

His program was stopped after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs objected to it.

There are examples of American ambassadors publicly commenting on Nepal's domestic affairs in the past. For example, James F. Moriarty, who was the ambassador during the 2006 People's Movement, publicly called the then rebel Maoists "terrorists". American ambassadors after him, Nancy Powell, Scott H. DeLisi, Peter Bodde and Alaina Teplitz, also meddled in Nepal's domestic affairs by commenting on Nepal's peace process.

Perhaps due to different circumstances, Berry did not follow the lead of his predecessors. Instead, the Americans focused more on developing 'soft power' in Nepal.

How successful Ambassador Berry was in Nepal, the American Embassy and the State Department must have evaluated.

During Berry's tenure, differences of opinion between Nepal and the United States about the political crisis created in Venezuela were laid bare. Ambassador Berry objected when Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, the chairman of the then ruling CPN, criticized the US policy on the Venezuela crisis. The government of Nepal had to issue a statement about the crisis in Venezuela. America was not satisfied even then. While expressing his displeasure, Ambassador Berry boycotted the diplomatic briefing organized by the then Prime Minister KP Oli for the ambassadors in Kathmandu.

Although it is said that the relationship between Prachanda and the US was strained after the Venezuela case, Prachanda finally pleased the US in the MCC issue, by getting the MCC approved by the parliament. However, before the Venezuela case could be resolved, Prachanda went to America for the treatment of his wife Sita, all arrangements of which were arranged by Berry.

Although he did not make public comments on the political affairs of Nepal, Berry continued to give occasional comments on matters related to the strategic interests of the United States. One of them was his statement in October 2019 about the MCC agreement and the military program State Partnership Program (SPP). In a discussion held by ISSR, a think tank in Kathmandu, he made a statement that he had spread false information about the MCC agreement and SPP in Nepal. When Ambassador Berry commented, on the one hand, there was an internal conflict within the then ruling party CPN in Nepal regarding the MCC agreement, while on the other hand, there was a comment being made in the public mind that the American army would come and it would be dangerous for the sovereignty of Nepal.

Ambassador Berry launched a campaign to dispel that confusion through the US Embassy's social media accounts and public discussions. The MCC Nepal and the embassy had to work very hard to explain that the MCC was not a military program. Still, there is a general perception that the MCC compact is a means for the US Army to enter Nepal. Irrespective of what the Nepali citizens think, the agreement with MCC has been approved by the parliament and is now being implemented, which can be considered the most successful work of Ambassador Berry's tenure in Nepal.

Some leaders recall that Ambassador Berry has been discussing the SPP at the highest level ever since he came to Kathmandu. Following the formation of the coalition government under the leadership of Sher Bahadur Deuba, Berry probably saw a favorable situation and intensified dialogues to advance the SPP. In particular, Berry was in informal discussions with Minister for Defense Minendra Rijal of the Deuba government to finalize the SPP agreement. Rijal had told Nepalkhabar that preparations to sign the SPP agreement between him and Berry were underway after the MCC agreement was approved by the parliament. As part of the ratification, Berry was preparing to invite Rijal to the US in February 2021. However, Rijal was unable to visit the US as he resigned from his position as Minister of Defense in a short period of time.

According to an official at the Ministry of Defense, if Defense Minister Rijal was able to go on an official visit to America, he would probably have signed the SPP immediately.

After Rijal's resignation, Prime Minister Deuba, who also held the charge of Defense Minister, and the ruling party's main leaders, Berry continued to put 'soft pressure' on the SPP agreement. But when the draft agreement on SPP was made public last June, the situation change.

The SPP agreement led to intense controversy and national debate that the US was trying to bring Nepal under the US military umbrella under the Indo-Pacific strategy. And the Deuba government wrote a formal letter to the US saying that it would not advance the SPP. It became a bittersweet event for Ambassador Berry towards the end of his tenure in Nepal. This mission of Berry, who played an instrumental role in getting the MCC agreement approved by parliament, failed.

Berry wanted Prime Minister Deuba to pay an official visit to America while he was in Nepal. However, Deuba's visit to America was also stopped after the decision not to proceed with the SPP. Ambassador Berry's attempt to roll out the red carpet for Deuba at the White House proved unsuccessful.

Getting Nepal to participate in President Biden's democracy-related special initiative is another success of Ambassador Berry. Berry succeeded in getting Prime Minister Deuba to participate virtually in the democracy summit organized by the US President in December 2021. Biden's democracy conference was successful in giving a strategic message to powerful countries like China and Russia by connecting certain countries of the world with America under the slogan of democracy. It was Berry's success that Deuba was the charioteer from this region in the American initiative to promote democracy.

Biden is holding a second summit on democracy within the next three months, in which Deuba is expected to participate again.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Nepal-US diplomatic relations. On the same occasion, Ambassador Berry tried for a high-level visit from both Nepal and America. When US Vice President Kamala Harris or Foreign Minister Antony Blinken were preparing to visit Nepal, when Nepal said 'no' to the SPP agreement, the possibility of a high-level visit suddenly died down. But visits to Nepal by officials from various departments from the US have increased.

On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Nepal, the American Embassy is holding various programs in Kathmandu. Prime Minister Deuba became the chief guest of the program organized by Ambassador Berry last April. The Prime Minister of Nepal rarely participates in programs organized by the American Embassy. Deuba went to accept Beri's invitation this time.

During his tenure, Ambassador Berry also held discussions with the ambassadors of US strategic partner countries in Nepal. It was seen that it contributed to the common strategic interests of the US and those countries. As in November last year, Ambassador Berry, Australian Ambassador Felicity Volk and British Ambassador Nicola Pollitt visited the Rara region. Australia and Britain are considered to be the most reliable strategic partners of the US. Shortly after the formation of a new strategic alliance between Australia, Britain and the United States, the ambassadors of these three countries visiting the Rara region of Mugu, Nepal, which borders China, cannot be regarded as mere coincidence.

Among the growing interest and influence of China in Nepal, Ambassador Berry's other success is to make the relationship between Nepal and America dynamic. Uzra Zia, US Deputy Secretary of State for Tibet Affairs, the visit of five influential parliamentarians and the influential General Charles A. Flynn of the US Army's Indo-Pacific Command visited Nepal.

Ambassador Berry, who succeeded in leaving his special mark in Nepal, left Kathmandu for his home country America a few days ago.