The Hindu : Front Page : Prachanda for change in foreign policy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 20, 2006
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Prachanda for change in foreign policy

Special Correspondent

Advocates a review of all treaties signed by previous monarchical governments

CONFABULATIONS: (From left) CPI (M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, Nepalese Maoist Leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ``Prachanda," Baburam Bhattarai and CPI leader A.B. Bardhan at a function in New Delhi on Sunday . — Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI: Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kumar Dahal, also known as Prachanda, said Nepal's foreign policy would have to undergo a change to factor its co-existence with China and India.

"We know that we can prosper only when these two superpowers of the 21st century prosper," he said at a function organised here on Sunday by the Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee (India), an umbrella body of political parties that supported the anti-monarchy agitation.

Maintaining that an attempt was made under the influence of "western powers" to keep China and India ranged against each other, he said this would not take place after the ouster of monarchy. "Nepal will not be part of any design of certain Western nations who want a fight between the two superpowers of Asia."

"At present, it is down but not out; we want it to be completely out," the Nepalese Maoist leader said about monarchy, while advocating a review of all the treaties signed by previous monarchical governments.

Mr. Prachanda appreciated both China and India for their sympathetic stand during the movement for the abolition of monarchy and also during the negotiations between the Nepalese political parties and the CPN (M). However, he conceded that both countries were initially apprehensive about the movement led by the Maoists.

On the status of CPN (M) leaders in Indian jails, the Solidarity Committee members said they would approach the Centre for their release. "The Central Government is also interested in promoting peace in Nepal," they assured the Maoist leader.

Among those present were Prakash Karat (Communist Party of India - Marxist), A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja (CPI), P.A. Sangma and D.P. Tripathi (Nationalist Congress Party) and Debabrata Biswas (Forward Bloc).

Speaking at a lunch hosted by Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav, Mr. Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai, another Maoist leader, said their movement was a synthesis of various struggles in the region.

Mr. Prachanda said their struggle was for a new model of democracy and development based on the principles espoused by Mahatma Gandhi, Karl Marx, Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narain.

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