BILASH RAI

For some time now, there is growing public perception that interference by foreign governments in Nepal has become more intense. The reasons could be many: the disunity among the political parties, the growing balance of payments gap, the burgeoning petroleum import bill or cross-border crime. In most of these areas, Nepal's rulers are not clued in, they are apathetic while foreign governments are stepping in to fill the vacuum. The question arises, does Nepal even have a foreign policy?

Traditionally, foreign policy is the policy of the party in power at any given time. But because there is a balance of power between the left and non-left parties, foreign policy is ad hoc, and not in the overall long-term national interest. A country that is geo-strategically located and neutral in its dealings must have a foreign policy that reflects this. But Nepal is also a developing country, and it needs a foreign policy that reflects this reality. There needs to be continuity in this policy so the country benefits from economic and political diplomacy.

Some parties are beginning to call for a long-term vision and strategy for our foreign policy. But what should be the nature of this policy? This needs to be the subject of public debate. Surely, one of the main points is that foreign policy should not be buffeted by which party is in power, foreign interference should not determine the outcome of domestic political negotiations on leadership. For this, the parties, the CA and parliament should immediately working on a plan to reduce foreign interference.

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