Yuba Raj Khatiwada, who has bee recommended for envoy to America, has pledged to facilitate changes in the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).
Speaking during the parliamentary hearing for his endorsement, he revealed that he is in contact with the Americans about the MCC and pointed that he has carefully listened to the concerns about the MCC inside the ruling CPN.
"The issues that have been raised about MCC—some are appropriate. A few are due to difference in understanding. It will be my duty to convince on the issue of difference in understanding," Khatiwada, who served as finance minister until September 4, told the Parliamentary Hearing Committee on Thursday. "They (Americans) have also talked about that. I am in regular contact. We will clarify on the issues that need clarification. Will clarify some through note of exchange, others can be resolved through letter of exchange and that too will be resolved. They have said that their only interest is Nepal's development and expressed readiness to make that clear."
Lawmakers in the committee asked Khatiwada how he can help in endorsing the MCC as an envoy when he could not get it emdorsed as a finance minister while in Nepal. "We can increase their understanding while relaying our position as I am a political person, and have closely listened to the comments and concerns inside the party. I have talked in the context that I will have a role in facilitation," he pointed.
CPN lawmaker and former finance minister Surendra Pandey bluntly asked what role he will play in endorsement of the MCC as an envoy having failed to do that in capacity of finance minister. "I was in the government yesterday. I would have had a decisive role in getting it endorsed by the House as a finance minister. I could have said let's do it this way or that way. But I will now be at a position of implementing the Foreign Ministry's instruction. I may have some personal opinions about MCC but I will now implement the government's instruction on MCC."
Nepali Congress (NC) lawmakers in the committee asked Khatiwada about his failure to get the MCC endorsed while those from ruling CPN asked questions about changes in the MCC.
CPN lawmaker Shiv Kuar Mandal asked him how he would proceed about making changes in the MCC which is against national interest while NC lawmaker Pushpa Bhusal asked him about the grounds to make bilateral relation with America, that has been hit by the failure to endorse the MCC, cordial.
NC lawmaker Bhimsen Das Pradhan opined that the state has not been able to properly explain about the MCC.
