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Year of Publication: 5 March 2013 | The Himalayan Times
Publication Type: NEWS
Published by: CESLAM
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is all set to introduce an amended Diplomatic Code of Conduct with an objective of bringing it in line with international standards.
The Diplomatic Code of Conduct 2013, once endorsed by a cabinet meeting scheduled later this week, will bring under its jurisdiction the prime minister, ministers and other top leaders including officer-bearers of political parties and incumbent as well as former government official above the rank of gazetted first class.
The code will not only make it mandatory for them to receive prior permission from MoFA but also require them to be briefed by MoFA officials on the tentative agenda the foreign dignitaries want to discuss with them.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha said MoFA finalized the draft code of conduct submitted by a technical committee for cabinet approval.
The committee formed under Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha included Home Secretary Nabin Kumar Ghimire, Foreign Secretary Durga Prasad Bhattarai and Law Secretary Bhesh Raj Sharma. A meeting held at MoFA on Sunday finalized the new code for cabinet approval after a series of discussions and necessary revisions.
MoFA in August 2011 had first introduced the Diplomatic Code of Conduct 2011 in the wake of controversy over the meetings of the prime minister, ministers and other senior government officials with foreigners.
The new code also makes it mandatory for political parties to form a separate protocol section and keep records of matters that transpire at meetings with foreign dignitaries. The parties will be required to provide details of the things that transpire at meetings with foreign dignitaries, as and when demanded by the government bodies concerned. This code will be applicable to meetings with INGO officials also.
Party leaders and former and incumbent government officials will now be required to take into consideration the protocol requirements of persons they are holding meetings with.
Officials involved in the preparation of the code said the government is mulling a specific venue meant for former government officials to hold such meetings.
However, the protocol issue won´t be applicable for courtesy calls and farewell calls.
The new Diplomatic Code of Conduct likewise aims at restricting the movement of foreign diplomats based in Kathmandu. “Once the new Code of Conduct is brought into implementation, their movements would be regulated,” said a MoFA official involved in the preparation of the new code.
Published on: 5 March 2013 | The Himalayan Times
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