The code of conduct for officials who draw salaries from the state coffers and government institutions details what they should and should not do while dealing with foreign missions, diplomats and officials. But the code of conduct is silent on diplomatic dealings involving politicians who do not draw salaries from the state coffers. [break]
The 13-page code unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Upendra Yadav also require officials and politicians who draw salaries from the state coffers to inform the MoFA about their dealings with foreign diplomats and officials.
In addition, the code of conduct requires presence of MoFA officials in meetings between public office holders and foreign diplomats and officials. If such meetings take place in absence of MoFA officials, the details of the meeting would have to be reported to the ministry.
The country´s diplomatic dealings had been chaotic in the absence of diplomatic code of conduct and officials often met and dealt with foreign diplomats without informing the MoFA.
Addressing a press conference, minister Yadav said that the code of conduct was prepared on the basis of experiences of other countries and common international practice. Yadav was silent on why politicians who do not draw salaries from the state coffers not been brought under the purview of the code.
Foreign Secretary Madan Kumar Bhattarai told Republica that the ministry will circulate the code to all the ministries, constitutional bodies, judiciary and parliament for implementation. The ministry will dispatch the code to all Nepali missions abroad on Thursday.
Those officials who would come under the purview of the code have been prohibited from accepting expensive gifts, favors, grants, loans, remunerations and donations from foreign diplomats, governments and officials.
The code envisions two mechanisms to monitor its implementation. There will be a high-level mechanism headed by foreign minister to oversee abidance of the code by gazetted special class officials and above.
Similarly, another mechanism, standing committing for monitoring, will monitor abidance of the code by gazetted first class officials and below.
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