With the change in the power equation overnight, the appointment of the newly recommended ambassadors to various countries has hung in the balance.
On June 21, the government had recommended ambassadors to eight different countries. According to the sharing of ambassadorial posts among the ruling power alliance, five ambassadors had been recommended from CPN (UML), two from Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) led by Ashok Rai and one from CPN (Maoist Center). Two ambassadors were yet to be recommended on Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) quota.
The process of ambassadorial appointment has been on hold after the new power equation with the main opposition Nepali Congress and UML, the largest party in the ruling alliance, forming a new political alliance on Monday midnight.
Rajan Bhattarai, who looks after the international affairs of CPN (UML), said the appointment of recommended ambassadors will depend on the decision of the new government. “It’s up to the decision of the new government,” said Bhattarai, “If the new government decides to give continuity to the decision of the previous government, the recommended ambassadors will be appointed, if not, new candidates will be appointed.”
The ambassadors recommended by the government will undergo a parliamentary hearing before being appointed by the President, according to the constitutional provision. However, the government has not yet sent the letter asking the Federal Parliament Secretariat to conduct the parliamentary hearing. “No letter has arrived at the Federal Parliament,” Ekram Giri, the spokesperson at the Federal Parliament Secretariat, told Nepalkhabar, “The process of parliamentary hearing will not move forward until the letter arrives.”
On June 6, the government led by Prachanda had recalled ambassadors from India, America, UK, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Malaysia, Spain, Denmark, Israel, Qatar and Portugal. Out of 11 countries, the government had recommended ambassadors for eight counties. According to the decision, former secretary Chandra Ghimire was recommended for America, former chief secretary Lokdarshan Regmi for India, Sumnima Tuladhar for Denmark, Netra Prasad Timsina for Malaysia and Sushil Pyakurel for South Korea on UML quota. However, Pyakurel has rejected the ambassadorial post.
Similarly, Abu Sufyan Khan Musalman was recommended for Saudi Arabia and Pushpa Raj Rajkarnikar for Spain on JSP quota. Likewise, Bijan Pant had been recommended for UK on Maoist Center quota.
RSP had made seven different criteria and called for online applications for the two posts of ambassadors. As many as 240 interested candidates had applied for the two posts of ambassadors on RSP quota.
