Mani Shankar

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Better late than never, the Indian leadership seems to have come to its senses.

A veteran diplomat and senior leader of ruling India?s Congress Party has viewed that India can never put pressure on Nepal while also seeking cordial relations between the two countries.

Nepal?s independent and sovereign status recognized.

?No elected prime minster of an independent country will ever submit himself to foreign pressure?, said Mani Shankar Aiyar.

Aiyar born in Lahore of the then British-India is currently in Kathmandu to attend an international conference. He has also served in the Indian Foreign Service for 26 years.

?Are we trying to find togetherness through friendly relations or by putting pressures?, he asks talking to journlist Umesh Chauhan of Nayapatrika Daily dated July 2, 2011.

When asked if India was angry because former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and incumbent Prime Minister Jhal Nath Khanal preferred not to visit India first, replies Aiyar,

?India should not be concerned that Nepal?s Prime Ministers whether prefer to visit China or Turkey first. Better, India should think on how to improve relations with Nepal.?

Does this mean that India soon is to change its coercive policy towards Nepal?

General public in Nepal believe that India does not want to establish relations with Nepal on equal footing. It prefers to put Nepal under pressure. What do you think?

Aiyar: I think it is your personal opinion. It is a view of a journalist. I do not believe that this is the general perception here in Nepal. If people here really think that India is putting unnecessary pressures on Nepal, then it becomes the responsibility of government of Nepal and India to clarify their respective positions.

Nepali people also believe that India wants to run Nepali politics right from South Block. Is it logical for India to operate Nepali politics from New Delhi?

Aiyar: This is your sheer illusion. I also do not subscribe to your view that South Block men are all anti-Nepal. If you personally feel so then I advise you to get rid of this myth. I have worked for many years in South Block. I have never heard any one saying that India should treat Nepal badly. If this is the general belief here in Nepal, then this should be changed.

Then, don?t you think that South Block should also change itself accordingly?

Aiyar: I do not believe that south block men subscribe to the view that India should adopt interventionist policy on Nepal. If there are people who think in this manner then they should change themselves one thousand percent.

Indian media too have begun writing that personal behavior of Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood contributed significantly to increase anti-India sentiment in Nepal?

Aiyar: Let us not discuss what came in the media. But, Rakesh Sood is a responsible diplomat. I do not believe that he has done anything wrong that has contributed to deteriorate India?s image in Nepal.

Sood was shown black flags and pelted stones in Nepal?

Aiyar: We, the Indians are experienced in observing black flags and stone pelting activities. If activities such as these have happened then it is not unusual. Crowd can?t influence diplomatic activities. It will not affect relations between the two countries.

Not only Rakesh Sood, but it is widely believed that the Indian establishment also does not favor Nepal to draft its constitution and if drafted India wants Nepal?s constitution be in favor Indian interests.

Aiyar: It is a wrong belief that India does not want Nepal to draft the constitution. Any suggestions from India, to accept it or reject solely depends upon Nepal. Our sincere suggestion is only that Nepal should draft a complete constitution. We also view that the peace process should not be obstructed.

In the recent times, China has increased its financial and military assistance to Nepal? Is India scared or worried with the fresh Chinese activities?

Aiyar: Obviously, China is not supporting Nepal to fight with India. If Chinese support is of substantial support to Nepal then India should not be worried at all. The more stable and prosperous Nepal becomes; it is beneficial to India as well. India is also extending financial support to Nepal. If India wants to extend more support that exceeds the support from China, then Nepal is not obviously stopping India. Nepalis have provided no less support to India. Nepali workers have made tremendous contribution for the development of India.

Analyzing what this veteran Indian diplomat says in the interview, what could be guessed in advance that India has definitely realized that its coercive policy acquired in the past vis-à-vis Nepal has backfired and that India is in a fresh mood to initiate a fresh relations with Nepal based on equal footing.

The Indian diplomat, a follower of Pundit Nehru and by extension must have been a champion of Nehruvian doctrine, is hinting, albeit in the interview, that India to some extent is worried over the increasing Chinese influence in Nepal.

Sharp brains in Nepal thus conclude that Aiyer?s Nepal visit was a planned one in order to let the Nepali academic understand that India will henceforth take Nepal as an equal partner but not the other way round.

A compulsion now.

Analysts hope that persons like Aiyer will be sent to Nepal at regular intervals with a view to create a favorable atmosphere for the new Ambassador Jayant Prasad to work in this country in a congenial manner which practically lacked during the entire stint of Ambassador Rakesh Sood.

Sood tentatively devastated Nepal-India relations, this is the general presumption in Nepal.

Needless to say, Ambassador Sood through his irritating activities contributed substantially in plummeting Nepal-India relations to an unprecedented low which exist at the moment.

Ambassador Prasad will have a tough time in convincing the Nepali population of the benevolent intent of India for Nepal at all levels of bilateral relations.

But when Ambassador Sood will pack?

(Interview courtesy: Naya Patrika daily dated July 2nd 2011. Thanks

South Asian Foreign Relations posted a photo:

Two former diplomats and renowned politicians Mani Shankar Aiyar and K. Natwar Singh crossed over to Pakistan through the land transit route of Indo-Pak Attari border here.

Officials at Attari border informed on Friday that both were holding diplomatic passports and it seems they went to Pakistan carrying some special mission of Government of India, since both the dignitaries avoided any kind of interaction with any official at Attari border.

Former Union minister Mani Shankar Aiyar was recently elected to member Rajya Sabha. Aiyar, 70, is a former career diplomat who left the Indian Foreign Service to join politics in the 1989. He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991, 1999 and 2004.

Aiyer served as Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Panchayati Raj, Youth Affairs and Sports and North-Eastern Region Development from May 2004 to January 2006 during UPAs first term.

Whereas, Singh joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1953 and served for 31 years. In 1984 he joined Congress party and was elected to the eight Lok Sabha in 1985 and became minister of state with portfolio of External Affairs (incharge of foreign affairs) till 1989.

www.punjabnewsline.com

manibala posted a photo:

manibala posted a photo:

Team before we set off on our task for the morning

scindewriter posted a photo:

L to R- Mani Shankar Aiyar, Mrs Khuhro, M.A.Khuhro, unknown gentleman.

Seulement, ce déboire de fonctionnalités consomme de l'énergie, souvent de manière excessive. A mesure que les possibilités s'étendent, l'autonomie diminue. A tel point qu'elle est majo