KATHMANDU, AUG 26 -
The government has stepped up lobbying for securing the post of president in the 66th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Thursday met three South Asian envoys to garner support for Kul Chandra Gautam, Nepal’s candidate for UNGA presidency.

 Gautam was former UN Assistant Secretary General. Prime Minister Nepal held meetings with Bangladeshi Ambassador Neem Chandra Bhowmik, Sri Lankan Ambassador Thosapala Hewage and  Pakistani Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain on Thursday, according to a press release. Nepal also met Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood in connection with the campaign on Wednesday. 

The prime minister is also consulting Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN Gyan Chandra Acharya, who is currently in town. For the coveted post of UNGA president, Nepal will compete with Qatar.

The government has also written letters to the heads of all the South Asian countries requesting support for Gautam’s candidacy. The government had earlier written to all the 130 countries, which have diplomatic relations with Nepal, seeking support for Gautam. “We are receiving very encouraging feedback from those countries,” said a senior government official.

The role of the Asian countries will be crucial in the 66th UNGA elections, as it is the Asian Group’s turn to take helm of the UN body. Each continent gets a five-year rotation-based presidential opportunity in the UNGA.

“The prime minister also forwarded a concept paper along with the letter requesting support to his South Asian counterparts. He also reminded that four South Asian countries—India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka— had already assumed the post,” said prime minister’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Rajan Bhattarai.  

Posted on: 2010-08-27 08:25

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