PM’s policy of not meeting foreign officials needs more nuance

Prime Minister Shah need not meet every foreign official. But a blanket refusal may not be a wise policy.

On assuming office, Prime Minister Balendra Shah set an important precedent by jointly briefing foreign ambassadors on the new government’s priorities. Earlier, ambassadors, especially from powerful countries, were often seen making a beeline to the private residence of a new Nepali prime minister. There was no institutional record of such meetings, which were held without representation from the foreign ministry. Even at other times, resident envoys of major powers like India, China and the US sought—and easily obtained—such off-the-record audiences with the executive head. Such meetings focused more on building interpersonal ties rather than on improving bilateral relations. This created a conflict of interest. Easy access of foreign diplomats to the private quarters of our top state officials has, over the years, been corrosive to Nepali national interest. But no one before Shah had dared to draw a red line. This is why the new prime minister’s initiative to enforce a strict diplomatic code of conduct came as a breath of fresh air in Nepali diplomacy.