Former commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission Sushil Pyakurel has declined the government’s recommendation to appoint him as Nepal’s ambassador to South Korea.
Writing to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday, Pyakurel declined the post of ambassador. He has registered the letter at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Pyakurel has said in the letter that he was not contacted or even given any indication by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Cabinet secretariat before nominating him for the post of ambassador to South Korea.
He has expressed surprise at the government’s practice of not holding prior discussions on the background, efficiency, interests of the person concerned and their knowledge of the political, economic and social status of the country concerned before assigning the responsibility of a post such as ambassador that represents the country.
In this context, he sees the need for serious discussion on the criteria regarding the appointment of ambassadors set by the government in the past, the rationale behind parliamentary hearings, and the tenure of ambassadors, Pyakuarel further says in the letter.
In the letter addressed to PM Dahal, Pyakurel has thanked the government for the belief it has shown in him. He has also requested the government to withdraw its recommendation to appoint him as ambassador.
Pyakurel was the political and human rights advisor to then president Bidya Devi Bhandari during her second term in office.
During a meeting held at Baluwatar on Thursday evening, Prime Minister Dahal, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, who is also the president of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), had reached a deal on sharing ambassadorial positions.
The government nominated ambassadors for eight countries on Friday. According to a minister, five ambassadors were nominated from UML, one from Maoist Center, and two from the Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajwadi Party. RSP did not send any names on Friday.
Pyakurel was recommended as ambassador for South Korea under the UML quota.
Former chief secretary Lok Darshan Regmi was recommended for India, Netra Prasad Timalsina for Malaysia, Sumnima Tuladhar for Denmark, Bijan Pant for the United Kingdom, Chandra Prasad Ghimire for the United States of America, Pushpa Raj Rajkarnikar for Spain and Abusufyan Khan Musalman for Saudi Arabia.
After the parliamentary hearing on the recommended ambassadors is completed, the respective countries will send agreemos. The president will then appoint the ambassadors according to the Constitution.
