Kathmandu, December 7
The constitution amendment proposal tabled by Nepal’s government is doomed, Western diplomats stationed in Kathmandu have concluded.
The members of the diplomatic community in Kathmandu had given the proposal a warm response after it was approved by the government few days ago, but after Kamal Thapa’s RPP, a key member of the ruling alliance, decided not to back the bill, the proposal will not get enough votes to sail through, they have concluded.
A meeting of the diplomatic corps was convened in Kathmandu by the UN’s Resident Representative Valerie Julliand (pictured above), and was attended by representatives from embassies except that of India and China.
According to a source, the diplomats have expressed concern over the UML’s protests, and polarisation in Nepal’s politics. The source said that prospects of fresh elections also figured during the discussion, 
and most diplomats concluded that the controversy over the amendment had the potential to put off elections for a long time.
The development comes as the United States, the EU and India welcome the government’s amendment proposal. Earlier this week, ambassadors from the US and the EU met Prime Minister Prachanda to express support for the bill. India has also issued a statement saying that the bill was a step in the right direction. The Chinese have remained mum on the issue, at least publicly.
