Intrusion of spies into political-diplomatic matters
During the armed conflict, the peace process and the constitution-drafting process, RAW officials were constantly interested in Nepal's affairs and used to make secret visits to meet leaders without protocol. RAW chief Goyal's visit this time was open. Prime Minister Oli not only met him at his official residence for more than two hours, but also made it public through a proud press note. Goyal had a high-level meeting when he came to Nepal in July 2019, but it was not so open.
Oli met with Goyal at midnight on Wednesday, not including foreign ministry officials. Oli's press adviser Surya Thapa said in a press note that the meeting focused on "not to disturb Nepal-India friendly relations, resolving the issue through dialogue and continuing mutual cooperation." The Prime Minister's Secretariat called the meeting a courtesy call. "They discussed ways to prevent the problems between the two countries from affecting relations and to resolve the issue peacefully through diplomatic talks and discussions," Rajan Bhattarai, foreign affairs adviser to the prime minister, told Kantipur. Regarding the protocol, he said, "We have been meeting the security apparatus and internationally, it is customary for the Prime Minister to have courtesy meetings with the security chiefs of other countries." Attempts are made to meet courtesy during the visit. This is the practice of the past. '
At the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Civil Aviation Authority had issued an internal notice on Tuesday afternoon calling the 'Global 5000' flight from India a 'Special Approval for Diplomatic Flight'. The Indian embassy was informed that the aircraft was allowed to stay in Kathmandu for 72 hours without having to pay NEA fee for the flight. Goyal had landed in Kathmandu from the same charter plane at 1 pm on Wednesday. He returned to New Delhi at around 10.15 am on Thursday. Initially, no government official announced his visit. A press note was issued by the Prime Minister's Secretariat after the news of his meeting with the Prime Minister came out.
It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. Former Prime Ministers Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Baburam Bhattarai and other leaders have been rumored to have met in the political circles. "The party is of the view that the problem should be resolved through diplomatic and political dialogue, so other leaders of our party, including former prime ministers, have not met the intelligence chief," said CPN-UML Deputy Chief Vishnu Rijal.
This is the first visit to Nepal by a high-ranking Indian official since Nepal issued a new political-administrative map. Encroaching Nepali land, India had issued a new map last October and last April, the track of the road from Uttarakhand to Mansarovar in China was opened. Immediately, Nepal protested through diplomatic notes and issued a new map including Limpiyadhura, Lipulek and Kalapani. Since then, India has become even more irritated with Nepal. Leaders close to the Prime Minister have said that the visit should not be taken otherwise as it is an attempt to open the door of dialogue at the diplomatic and political levels. Mentioning that there would be various channels to improve relations between the two countries, he argued that the visit and dialogue should also be considered a part of it.
According to former foreign ministers and diplomats, it is against postal protocol for the prime minister to have a lengthy meeting with another country's intelligence chief without informing the government's diplomatic apparatus. He says it has tarnished his political and diplomatic dignity. He said that Prime Minister Oli, who had earlier created a nationalist image by questioning India's intervention, had also lost his personal weight.
Suryanath Upadhyaya, a member of the Nepal-India Enlightened People's Group, said that the meeting between Prime Minister Oli and Goyal was not in accordance with the protocol. "It doesn't sound like the prime minister has met the RAW chief," he said, "but the protocol between India and Nepal is already not taken into account." Indian ambassadors have also met the Prime Minister several times here. But it is rare for our ambassador in Delhi to meet the Indian prime minister. ' Upadhyay assessed that India had sent some messages to Nepal during Goyal's visit. "There may be some bargaining going on," he said
Though Goyal returned with a political message saying that 'friendly relations between the two countries will not be disturbed', the leaders of Oli's party, the CPN (Maoist), understand that this has tarnished Nepal's nationality, self-respect and diplomatic dignity. Former Foreign Minister Bhim Rawal, who is also a member of the CPN (Maoist) Standing Committee, said, "It is objectionable for the country's chief executive to hold more than two hours of discussions at night by summoning the country's intelligence chief who refuses to engage in political and diplomatic dialogue." , Contrary to policy and declaration. ' He described the timing and manner of the meeting as "objectionable".
Diplomat and former ambassador Dinesh Bhattarai expressed surprise at the surprise visit of the Indian intelligence chief to Nepal and the message he gave. "Didn't we have the mechanisms at the political or diplomatic level to untie the knot between Nepal and India?" He said, "It seems suspicious and even dangerous for a member of the Indian intelligence community to meet our Prime Minister and discuss a mutual solution." He opined that the current activities have caused a rift in Nepal's diplomatic and political arena. Former Ambassador to India Deep Kumar Upadhyaya said, "The visit of the Indian intelligence chief, who seems to have been invited by Nepal, and his meeting with Prime Minister Oli have exposed the shell of nationalism covered by the CPN (Maoist) government."
There is a record abroad that the Nepal-India Joint Commission of Foreign Ministers, formed in 1987 to discuss the overall issues between Nepal and India, and the secretarial mechanism set up by the same commission to discuss bilateral border issues, have only one or two formality meetings possible. "Even now, both sides may have tried to break the ice, but this method was not right," said Bhattarai.
RPP Chairman and former Foreign Minister Prakash Chandra Lohani pointed out the problem in the method and process. "The foreign ministry needs to know. The prime minister is not only an individual, but also an institution, 'he said. He may have come with a message from the security forces. It is wrong to go directly to the level of the Prime Minister. '
Congress joint general secretary and former foreign minister Prakash Sharan Mahat claimed that Prime Minister Oli was meeting the head of a foreign security agency regularly, contrary to diplomatic dignity. "This is how he has met with security agencies not only in India, but also in China and other countries." Another former foreign minister and central chairman of the Janata Samajwadi Party, Upendra Yadav, said the meeting between Prime Minister Oli and RAW chief Goyal was natural. "India and Nepal have a multifaceted relationship. Such a meeting has already taken place. But the prime minister should take this as an opportunity to improve relations, "he added.
The common party has also objected to Prime Minister Oli's meeting with RAW chief Goyal. In a statement issued on Thursday, the joint party has asked, "Are the RAW chiefs invited by their Nepali counterparts?" Did he pay a courtesy call on the Prime Minister?
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