Nepal-India Economic Cooperation seminar: Cultural proximity is no guarantee of friendship

December 24, 2003
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-Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, Finance Minister

Kathmandu: Surprising though it may appear, the fact is that as and when the RPP is in power, the party has dared to ventilate her inner feelings pertaining to Nepal-India relations.

However, what is also for sure is that as and when the RPP while in power has managed to do, the party’s government have had to see a collapse.

Perhaps remaining undeterred by the “things-to-happen” come what may, the RPP’s leader and the incumbent Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, on Sunday, told India in no certain terms that if she were to receive tangible support from Nepal, she ought to exhibit concerns also for Nepali grievances.

Dr. Lohani’s statement came at a Nepal Council of World Affairs organised seminar on Nepal-India Economic Cooperation that was supported by B.P.Koirala India-Nepal Foundation on 21 December, 2003.

The speech made by Dr. Lohani who was concurrently holding the chair of the Prime Minister in Prime Minister Thapa’s absence apparently jolted the Indian side present on the occasion.

The Indian establishment in Kathmandu which presumably was not used to listen to such subtle diplomatic comments against her and that too from a personality of Dr. Lohani’s stature must have understood the Nepali sensitivities.

Dr. Lohani made it amply clear that not only India, Nepal too had her genuine national interests to be taken care of. He hinted that ” each country irrespective of its level and ranking in the power hierarchy can be expected to have what could be called as a national interest-set that it would like to achieve”.

According to Dr. Lohani, four crucial elements that determined the structure of relationship between any two countries which were, for example, political; economic; security and cultural.

“Cultural proximity is no guarantee of friendship”, stated Dr. Lohani. In saying so Dr. Lohani apparently indicated that harping on age-old cultural proximity in between Nepal and India is not bad but then that was also not sufficient enough to guarantee a good and lively friendship in between the two countries.

To recall, more often than not, Nepal’s leaders and at times the Indian leaders wish to praise Nepal-India ties pushing this cultural factor alone. However, they prefer to remain silent to state the key role of the rest of the three key factors in the state-to-state relations.

Brushing aside the cultural proximity theory, Dr. Lohani explained that history has remained witness that nations that share the same civilizations have shown no hesitation in wasting enormous resources in trying to harm each other”.

Dr. Lohani apparently hinted that the 1989 Indian economic blockade on Nepal should not have been imposed on Nepal had the Indian eztablishment considered the cultural proximity theory.

However, Dr. Lohani was all praise for India’s full commitment for Nepal’s sovereignty and independence.

A carrot for India indeed.

In the course of the lecture, Dr. Lohani also found it opportune to hint the attending scholars that Nepal even today remained a democratic state contrary to the speeches made by the leaders in the recent days.

“Both Nepal and India are democratic states that have expressed their commitment to a multi-party form of government within a constitutional framework based on the core principles that sovereignty resides on the people”, is how Dr. Lohani defended his case.

In the process, Dr. Lohani subtly indicated that Nepal no more remained a land locked nation. “Nepal now is a link-nation that has direct link with two of the most dynamic economies of the world”. In saying so Dr. Lohani indicated that Nepal’s economy is now also close to the economy of her northern neighbor.

He however also politely told the gathering that “a strong and prosperous Nepal is in India’s interest and vice versa”. This perhaps means that Nepal will benefit if the Indian economy grew. A fact indeed.

Much to the discomfiture of Pakistan perhaps, Nepali minister on the occasion reiterated that it was time that the countries housed in the “Growth Quadrangle” worked for giving a new lease of life to the idea of the quadrangle.

To recall, Minister Lohani’s fervent appeal has come close on the heels of Pakistani Ambassador only a week ago dubbing the idea of the Growth Quadrangle as an act solely initiated to isolate Pakistan.

Pakistan maintains that the idea is the creation of New Delhi in order to isolate Pakistan. In effect, this had created a furore in SAARC member countries. Thanks the then Sri Lankan foreign minister who convinced Pakistan that it was not at all to displease Pakistan or in any manner isolating her.

On the security front, Dr. Lohani assured the Indian establishment that Nepal will ever remain sensitive towards India’s genuine security concerns. He, however, also sought India sensitivities for Nepal’s legitimate concerns.

“We are also confident that certain elements that want to destroy the multi-party constitutional system and the development infrastructure of Nepal will not be able to misuse the “hospitality” of India towards the Nepali people”, added Dr. Lohani.

Implied here is that Dr. Lohani wishes to hint that Maoists were in India and could misuse the Indian hospitality by troubling Nepal.

All put together, Dr. Lohani, good or bad, spoke his mind. How India reacts to Dr. Lohani’s fresh political overtures will have to be watched.