EU envoys clarify meeting with controversial Nepalese activist

Amid controversies over a meeting with controversial Nepalese activist CK Raut last week, ambassadors from the European countries claimed that the meeting was not aimed at destabilizing Nepal.

In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the ambassadors said they met with Raut for a petition explaining a number of human rights concerns regarding his arrests.

During a meeting with Nepalese Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey on Monday, the ambassadors detailed the context of their talks with Raut, who has been arrested several times for spearheading a secessionist movement in the southern part of the Himalayan country.

"The European Union and Norway are committed to the rule of law and the full respect of the rights to freedom of expression and assembly of all citizens irrespective of their ideology and it is in this context that the discussion with Raut took place, as explained in full transparency to the Nepalese authorities," the statement said.

They have claimed that in no way their meeting should it be interpreted as an endorsement of, or agreement with Raut's political agenda or actions.

"In the meeting with the Honorable Minister, both the Government of Nepal and European Ambassadors agreed that no diplomatic code of conduct had been breached and reiterated their strong commitment to democracy, human rights and to the consolidation of the peace process in Nepal, which the above- mentioned countries have been supporting as the largest development partners," the statement added.

Raut, who is better known these days as "secessionist leader," has been spearheading a movement to create a separate country in southern Nepal since 2011. Endi