KATHMANDU, July 10: Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali has said Nepal has stood in favor of further strengthening multilateralism and rule-based world order, although major powers seem to deviate from this principle. 

Speaking Tuesday at the launch of a book—Nepal’s Diplomatic Practice: Memoirs of Ambassadors -- published by Institute of Foreign Affairs and edited by journalist and Central Committee member Bishnu Rijal, Minister Gyawali said small powers like Nepal were put in a difficult situation when major powers violate the principles of multilateralism and rule-based world order.

“These days, major powers are moving ahead with deal-based order instead of rule-based world order. This has often put small countries in difficult situation,” he said while arguing that although major powers can afford to ignore rule-based order, countries like Nepal can bear the brunt of such moves. 

Gyawali said that speaking for the interest of the country should not be construed as speaking against any countries. “We keep our national interests at the center. This should not be understood as speaking against any other countries.”

Expressing dissatisfaction over some media reports and analysis that Nepal was put in huge diplomatic crisis, Gyawali also said that there is no point to make such projection as this was the country saved and nurtured by our great ancestors and skillful diplomacy of the country’s rulers in the past.  

Highlighting the book, Minister Gyawali said this was an attempt of his ministry to start documenting the experiences, expertise, and knowledge of Nepal’s ambassadors who served in different countries on different occasions. Stating that the book serves a window to Nepal’s 50-year diplomacy, Gyawali said younger generations in Nepal could get idea of how diplomats work in various difficult circumstances.

The book contains memoirs of various 20 ambassadors, who served in different countries in a different situation both during Panchayati and multi-party democratic era. Former Foreign Minister and Ambassador Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, former foreign secretary and ambassador Madan Bhattarai and senior journalist Yubaraj Ghimire made a review of the book while highlighting various aspects of the book.

Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi expressed confidence that the book could be an important reference material to understand Nepal’s foreign policy conduct.

Speaking on the occasion, editor of the book Rijal said that he had been able to come up with the book after eight months of hard work. Although he had interviewed 25 former Nepali ambassadors aged over 80 years, he could incorporate the memoirs of only 20 former ambassadors due to some technical reasons.

 
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