Kathmandu, March 31

The government today issued a press release strongly objecting to the reference to Nepal’s constitutional matter in a joint statement of the 13th EU-India Summit held in Brussels last night.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a press release saying serious attention of the Government of Nepal had been drawn to the reference to Nepal in the joint statement.  “The constitution making process and its promulgation are essentially internal matters of a country. Nepal has now moved ahead along the path of political stability and economic development,” MoFA said in its release.

MoFA said in its release that the country promulgated the constitution through a democratically elected Constituent Assembly, which fully accommodated the aspirations of the people of Nepal. The promulgation of the constitution formally concludes the nationally-driven peace process initiated in 2006 and institutionalises significant democratic gains, including federal and republican system,” the ministry said in its release.

“Against this backdrop, the EU-India joint statement not only hurts the sentiments of the people of Nepal but also defies the fundamental principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of a country in breach of the UN Charter and norms of international law,” the release added. The Government of Nepal also called on all to fully respect the sovereign and democratic rights of the people of Nepal and refrain from making uncalled for statements. “The government and people of Nepal are fully capable of resolving their issues themselves within the framework of the constitution,” MoFA said in its release.

The statement issued on behalf of the EU and India says both sides agreed on the need for lasting and inclusive constitutional settlement in Nepal.  “The EU and India pledged continued support to Nepal in its reconstruction efforts following the devastating earthquakes in 2015, including capacity building and long term development. They also agreed on the need for a lasting and inclusive constitutional settlement in Nepal that will address the remaining constitutional issues in a time-bound manner, and promote political stability and economic growth,” adds the statement.

PM’s plea

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli urged all neighbouring and friendly countries on Thursday to respect Nepal’s sovereignty and warn not to interfere in its internal affairs. “Nepal is a sovereign country and we want our friends to respect that,” said PM Oli during an interaction organised in the Capital in the context of his recent trip to China.