-Ambassador Nazarov, Russian federation

Kathmandu: Nepal’s noted intellectuals and former diplomats together with foreign envoys have concluded that the escalation of acts of terrorism in a particular country should not be considered to be a single country’s problem but instead should be taken as an act that had global ramifications and hence a concerted efforts to curb the menace have got to be devised inorder to preserve security and enhance developmental efforts.

This was concluded at a talk program held on February 27, 2003, on the topic “International Terrorism: A threat to peace, development and security” jointly organized by the Nepal Council of World Affairs and the Russian Center of Science and Culture.

Initiating the debate on the said topic, Ambassador Yadav Kant Silwal, former SAARC Secretary General, opined that the global community became serious on the spread of terrorism in the world only when the lone Super Power was hit one and a half years ago.

“When the twin towers in the United States were hit by the terrorists, it drew the attention of the whole world which thus resulted in the creation of a global coalition”, maintained Mr. Silwal. He however, lamented the absence of the global coalition in case of Iraq. IN essence, Mr. Silwal said that the Iraqi case had already split the former global alliance against terrorism.

“Any crusade against terrorism or for that matter the Iraqi case, should go through the United Nations for which we need the goodwill of the global community including the United States of America”, added Mr. Silwal.

Dr. Mohan Prasad Lohani, former Ambassador to Bangladesh, opined that the United Nations were the only legal multi-lateral channel to be brought into action to press Iraq to comply with the terms and the conditions of the United Nations Security Council. According to Dr. Lohani, terrorism had already become a global concern.

The Russian Ambassador to the Nepali Court, Mr. Valery V. Nazarov dwelt at length on the spread of terrorism and acts of separatism in Chechenya.

According to Ambassador Nazarov, the Chechen issue had already been settled through Peace Talks in the early days of 1996 and that during that settlement, it had been agreed that Chechenya would enjoy defacto independent status which was later recognised. However, added the Ambassador, that some overly ambitious elements in the Chechen side misused the settlement and began exhibiting aggressive behaviours which was not acceptable to the government in Moscow.

Ambassador Nazaro on the occasion disclosed that the Chechen separatists were still in close contacts with Al-Qaeda and had been getting monetary suppost from various like-minded organizations scattered in different parts of the world.

Recollecting the emergence of the Chechen separatism at the first place, Ambassador Nazarov said that hints of such separatism in effect came to the fore in the beginning of the 19th century.

He, however, admitted that mistakes were committed by both the sides, the Chechens and the government in Moscow in tackling the issue that had taken a frightening dimension in the recent years. But then yet the Russian Federation envoy forcefully hinted that the War with the Chechens was over.

” A sort of people’s referendum is being held by the end of this month in Chechnya which will allow the people there to vote for assembly and the constitution they wish for themselves”, continued the Ambassador.

The RF diplomat expressed his utter satisfaction on the convergence of views of his country and Nepal on matters of international terrorism and the manner it had got to be dealt with.

Regarding the ceasefire announcement in Nepal, the RF Ambassador said that he hoped a durable and lasting peace in this Himalayan Kingdom.

The Director at the Russian Center, Mr. Sergei, welcomed the attending participants and said that acts of terrorism had brought the countries of the globe together.

The Vice President of the NCWA, Dr. Gopal Pokhrel, opined that one had to go deep into the root causes that promote terrorism.

“Abject poverty, and suppression of feelings of a particular marginalised community for long by the State too could be one of the causes for the escalation of terrorism”, added Dr. Pokhrel.

The GS of the NCWA, welcomed the guests at the beginning of the talk program.