No shift in Nepal's foreign policy, Minister Khanal says

Kathmandu, March 27: The newly-appointed Foreign Affairs Minister, Shisir Khanal, has said that there will not be a shift in Nepal's foreign policy despite the change in government or minister.     

Talking to the media after assuming his office on Friday, Minister Khanal said that the constitution has clearly stated Nepal's foreign policy. "The nation's foreign policy will not be changed though there was a new government or a new minister. This issue is related to Nepal's sovereignty, territorial indivisibility and national interests. Nepal has been embracing the non-aligned foreign policy for a long time and it will be given continuity," Minister Khanal shared.     

Minister Khanal also shared that the Ministry was closely working in the context of the conflicts happening in West Asia in recent weeks. "So far, data of more than 80,000 Nepali migrant workers have been collected. The Ministry is proactively working through the diplomatic channel to safely keep Nepalis in the concerned countries as per the needs," the newly-appointed minister elaborated.     

The Minister added that other measures will be initiated for the safety of Nepali citizens in West Asia if things turn further critical.     

Khanal stated that the Ministry was ready to apply alternative measures for the safety of the Nepali citizens in the West Asia adding that the first priority was to ensure their safety in case they felt insecure.     

Likewise, he said that Nepal, as the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha and a peace-loving country, always urges the conflicting parties to resolve their issues in a peaceful manner, and reiterated the same request to the world community.     

Similarly, Minister Khanal said that the current government has accorded top priority to good governance and economic prosperity, and the Ministry would also center its activities to ensure effective public service delivery.     

On the occasion, Minister Khanal said economic diplomacy in regard to economic prosperity would be given priority and that would contribute to the nation's economic development.     

The newly-appointed Minister Khanal, who is elected from Kathmandu-6 in the House of Representatives election for the second consecutive time, caries of experience of serving as the Minister for Education, Science and Technology in the past.     

Prior to joining politics, the 47-year-old Minister Khanal worked as a campaigner for public education reforms.(RSS)