Off the wire
• Feature: Marathon, a growing fashion in Japan  • HK's total export up 0.6 pct in Dec. 2014  • Australia leads 2-0 over UAE in Asian Cup semifinal first half  • Philippine gov't warns of "warlordism" in Mindanao if peace process breaks down  • Foreign exchange rates in India  • Slovakian FM to visit China  • Iranian Super League soccer fixtures  • Roundup: Philippine bourse close higher on expectations of good 2014 economic data  • Singapore stocks close 0.40 pct higher  • Major news items in leading German newspapers  
You are here: 　 Home

European envoys' meeting with Nepalese activist sparks controversy

Xinhua, January 27, 2015 Adjust font size:

Ambassadors from the European countries have triggered controversy in Nepal following their meeting with controversial Nepalese activist CK Raut last week.

The meeting between Raut and some EU envoys, which took place at a Kathmandu-based European diplomatic mission, has drawn flak from multiple quarters in Nepal.

Terming the EU ambassadors' meeting with Raut as a breach of diplomatic practice, the Nepalese government has warned the envoys against any kind of talks with activists in separatist movements.

Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey reminded the EU ambassadors that the diplomatic community in Nepal should conduct their activities and show the diplomatic etiquette under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities.

"I also urged the ambassadors to maintain the diplomatic decorum while working in Nepal in line with the Diplomatic Code of Conduct issued by the Nepalese government," he told Xinhua on Tuesday.

The EU envoys made it clear that they had the meeting with Raut over human rights.

"Ambassadors conveyed me that their meeting with Raut was taken place at the request of Raut and they never approached him earlier, " Pandey said.

Raut, who is better known as "secessionist leader," has been spearheading a movement to create a separate country in the southern regions of the Himalayan country since 2011.

According to his personal website ckraut.com, Raut got a PHD degree from the United States and worked as a scientist at BBN Massachusetts. He has been launching the separatist movement especially in southern Nepal after returning his home country four years ago.

Raut, the coordinator of the Alliance for Independent Madhes ( AIM), has been arrested by the police several times for anti- nationalist movement and was recently released on Dec. 29, 2014.

Late last year, British Ambassador Andrew Sparkes had sparked controversy by questioning the Nepal's commitment to secularism. In an open letter to the Nepali lawmakers, Sparkes urged them "to ensure that the right to change religion is protected" in the new constitution of Nepal. Endi