KATHMANDU, Sept 26 : The government on Thursday decided to relieve Nepali ambassador to Qatar Dr Maya Kumari Sharma of her post amid multiple controversies surrounding her.
The cabinet decision came in the wake of envoy Sharma dilly-dallying over resignation from the post even though Foreign Secretary Arjun Bahadur Thapa and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal suggested to her to step down a few days ago. [break]
Sources said the government took a decision to relieve her of her post through a cabinet meeting because the envoy could challenge the decision of an individual minister or MoFA in court. Earlier, the envoy had conveyed to MoFA that she would step down only after the government sent a formal letter.
Envoy Sharma, who was appointed under the Maoist quota for four years in January 2012, was asked by party Chairman Dahal to step down from the post on Thursday in the wake of Ambassador of Qatar to Nepal Ahmad Jasim Mohammed Ali Al Hamar requesting the Nepalese authorities in writing to recall her in the interest of friendly relations between the two countries.
This came after Dr Sharma courted a series of controversies due to her blunt and undiplomatic remarks right after she assumed the post in January 2012.
She was first dragged into controversy due to her decision to close a hostel at the embassy premises for distressed Nepalese nationals, and later again due to a controversial remark in a television interview that Qatar was an ´open jail´ for Nepalese nationals.
Foreign Secy Thapa named new SAARC Secy General
Nepal has proposed to appoint Foreign Secretary Arjun Bahadur Thapa as the new Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
A cabinet meeting held on Thursday at Singh Durbar decided to nominate Thapa as head of the regional body for three years beginning March, 2014.
Once approved by an upcoming meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers, Thapa will succeed incumbent SAARC Secretary General Ahmed Saleem, who was appointed by the Maldives government.
The Nepal government took the decision to recommend Thapa´s candidacy after receiving the nod from the political parties represented in the High Level Political Committee (HLPC).
SAARC secretary generals are appointed for three-year terms by rotation among the eight member states. A candidate from Nepal --former foreign secretary Yadav Kanta Silwal-- last held the post from January, 1994 to December, 1995.
Sources at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said Thapa´s nomination would be endorsed by the next SAARC foreign minister´s meeting, which is likely to be held at the end of October. The matter will also figure during an informal meeting of SAARC foreign ministers to be held on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Incumbent Secretary General Ahmed Saleem´s tenure is expiring on February 19. Thapa has already served as Nepal´s ambassador to the United Arab of Emirates and as deputy permanent representative at Nepal´s Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, among other posts. Thapa was appointed foreign secretary in July.
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