Foreign threat looms: Bhattarai

KATHMANDU: Vice-chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist, Baburam Bhattarai, today warned that Nepal would become a playground for international power centres within a decade if the parties failed to build a consensus on international relations.

Predicting that the northern neighbour – People’s Republic of China – would emerge as the super power surpassing the US in the next 50 years, Bhattarai said that the American concern would certainly increase in Nepal, as India will also become economically strong.

“We should adopt a balanced foreign policy and must not use one country against the other. We should play the role of a bridge in the relationship between China and India or else our national interest would be at stake,” said Bhattarai, addressing an interaction organised by Jhilko Publication.

He said the parties should go for amending unequal treaties and agreements and safeguard the national interest.

“We cannot be independent unless we correct flawed treaties, including the Sugauli Treaty. For that, we must forge an understanding with all the parties. This must not be the agenda of a single party,” he said. Bhattarai, who is leading a comparatively liberal faction among the three different factions in his party, stressed that the parties should build consensus on the country’s foreign policy.

Referring to the hardliner faction in his party, Bhattarai said the issue of ‘nationality’ must not be the property of a particular faction.

“Nationality is the same for all the citizens. Talking about ‘rooms’ will be irrelevant if the ‘house’ ceases to exist,” he said.

At a time when other factions in the party have been accusing Bhattarai of tilting towards the southern neighbour in terms of ideologies, Bhattarai defended his stance. “It’s not good to accuse the leaders of the same party for having different views as ‘agent’,” he said.