Foreign envoys gathering at UN House today

KATHMANDU: Foreign ambassadors and head of missions based in Kathmandu are meeting in the United Nations country office at in Lalitpur tomorrow to express views on the draft constitution and post-quake response in Nepal, sources said.

A UN official confirmed that a regular monthly meeting of the Kathmandu-based ambassadors and mission heads has been called at the UN House to discuss the latest development of Nepal, including constitution-writing process and earthquake-response.

Ambassadors of donor countries under the name of International Development Partners Group (IDPG) meet every month at the UN country office to coordinate the development support to Nepal, an official stated.

Ambassadors, head of missions and representatives of Kathmandu-based foreign missions, including those of India, China, Germany,the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan, France and the

European Union, have been invited for the meeting, which will be presided over by UN Country Representative and Resident Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick.

Last time, foreign envoys had met in the UN country office right after the 16-point agreement was signed by four political parties on June 8.

The diplomatic community had welcomed the agreement.

A senior official at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, however, expressed concerns about the intent of the meeting.

“Nepal’s constitution-drafting process has completed one stage and entered the next stage of taking feedbacks,” said the official, seeking anonymity. “We need feedbacks and suggestions from the public on the proposed provisions in the new constitution, not from foreign envoys.”

The official warned that remarks from outsiders, including foreign envoys, might give a wrong impression.

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tara Prasad Pokhrel said that as development partners and friends, foreign envoys could discuss about political developments in Nepal, but cautioned that their views should not create divisions or mislead the political process of the host country.