Speaking at an interaction program organized at Reporters´ Club-Nepal, the NC leader argued the government is solely to be blamed for the Chinese premier not staying even for a day in Kathmandu. He added that all other Chinese premiers and other dignitaries who visited Nepal before had stayed overnight in Kathmandu. [break]
“How many days a foreign dignitary stayed in the country, what he ate and what he wore matter a lot in foreign visits. It is wrong to argue that both long and short visits are of equal value,” he further said.
Chinese Premier was originally scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu for a three-day visit starting from December 20, 2011. His visit on Saturday was, however, limited to just about five hours.
Arguing that the assistance Chinese Premier Wen announced is only continuation of the assistances that China has been providing to Nepal over the past several years, Dr Mahat criticized the government for asking assistance even for small projects.
Addressing the same function, CPN-UML politburo member Bhim Rawal argued that it was unbecoming of the government not to publicize such a high-profile visit and impose an ´undeclared curfew´ while escorting premier Wen from TIA to Singha Durbar. Such arrangements for the visit of a VVIP has sent out the message that the government is not capable of hosting other VVIPs, he argued.
Devendra Paudel, who is chief political advisor to Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, said Premier Wen was hosted in Kathmandu in a planned manner as per the desire of China. "There has not been any violation of human rights and democratic values,” he said. "The visit was kept secret as per the request of China."
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