CPN-Maoist makes ambassadorial nominations
The CPN (Maoist), on Monday, has submitted its list of four ambassadorial candidates to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
The nominations have come amid reports of Maoist threats to quit the government if its 22-point demands are not met.
According to reports, the party has nominated Ms Pampha Bhusal for the post of ambassador for France, Bijay Kanta Karna for Denmark, Yogendra Dhakal for Australia and Dr. Rishi Adhikari for Malaysia. A former firebrand student leader, she was known as 'Vidyut' during the party's underground days. Ms Bhusal is a central committee member of the CPN (Maoist).
Similarly, a former journalist and teacher of English literature, Karna was active in lobbying for rights of the Madheshi people. Dr. Adhikari has served as advisor to late Prime Minister Manmohan Adhikary when he led a minority CPN (UML) government in 1995-96. He has also taught at the Agriculture Campus, Rampur, Chitwan, where Maoist supreme Prachanda studied.
Interestingly, brother-in-law of general secretary of CPN (Masal), Mohan Bikram Singh, Dhakal had left the party to join the CPN (M) only last year. Singh is known for his strong criticism of the CPNM.
According to reports, the Maoist leadership had earlier chosen Hira Bahadur Thapa, joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as its ambassadorial candidate for Australia. But Thapa's name was later dropped amid criticism that he was one of the staunch supporters of the direct rule of King Gyanendra. A career diplomat, Thapa denies these allegations.
The next meeting of the Council of Ministers is expected to approve these nominations as well as appoint ten other ambassadors.
Appointment of 14 ambassadors has been deadlocked for several months with the key partners of the ruling coalition haggling over major diplomatic missions like India, USA, UK and China. The Maoists had earlier demanded that its nominees be sent to at least two of these missions, but later agreed to give up their claim. nepalnews.com mk Aug 27 07
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