Nepal Maoist proxies pass on China’s peace message to India

Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'

Kathmandu: In an interesting development China may have utilised the services of its proxy political presence in Nepal, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), to pass on a message of peace to India and make a bid to dampen the aggressive war of words that has recently flared between both nations. In a message passed on to a Nepal Maoist leader China has said that far from being at loggerheads with New Delhi it is actually interested in seeking better ties so that Asia can take the reins of world leadership from the US.

The Chinese message was delivered at a party meeting of the Nepal Maoists convened by its top leader, and former prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' who returned to Kathmandu after an eight day visit to China.

Prachanda was apparently told by the regime at Beijing that it wishes to foster good relations with India and other countries in the region. He met Chinese president Hu Jintao as well as other Chinese leaders in the course of his visit.

After the party briefing, Maoist spokesman Dinanath Sharma told the media that the Chinese leaders told Prachanda that so far the US has been leading the world, but now it was the turn of Asia to lead and for this reason it was important to foster good relations with all countries in the region.

Prachanda also said that China had conveyed that it now wanted peace and economic development in the region and that it would support the peace process in Nepal and the promulgation of a new constitution as well as economic development.

Last year, Prachanda broke away from tradition after becoming premier and visited China before making a trip to India. This diplomatic victory for Beijing soured soon as Prachanda's eight-month-old government collapsed after it tried to sack the army chief.

The Maoists blamed India for the debacle, saying New Delhi had become antagonistic after Prachanda's Beijing visit.