This document provides an overview of guiding principles in Nepal's foreign policy. It discusses key principles such as the UN Charter, Panchsheel (five principles of peaceful coexistence), non-alignment, international law, and the value of peace. The UN Charter recognized Nepal as a sovereign nation and provided an international forum. Panchsheel formed the basis of Nepal's relationships with India and China. Non-alignment allowed Nepal to remain neutral in international affairs. International law enhances Nepal's legitimacy. The concept of being a "zone of peace" emerged from Nepal's geopolitical situation between India and China.

1. Nepal’s Foreign Policy: An
Introduction
A Lecture for MIRD 3rd Semester, TU, Nepal
Course Code: MIRD-514
Topic: ‘Guiding Principles of Nepal’s Foreign Policy’

2. Last Class Recap
 What is Foreign Policy? What are National Interests?
 Tools in Foreign Policy and Process of Foreign Policy Making
 Levels of Analysis in Foreign Policy
 Foreign Policy of Modern Nepal: Brief History
 Scope of Nepal’s Foreign Policy
 Determinants and Guiding Principles of Nepal’s Foreign Policy
 Limits in Nepal’s Foreign Policy & Solutions.

3. Today’s Class: Guiding Principles
 UN Charter
 Panchasheela
 Non-Alignment
 International Law and Value of Peace

4. Objectives and Goals of Nepal’s FP
 Protect National Sovereignty and Territorial
Integrity.
 Preserving Autonomy while Building
Relation of Trust and Confidence with our
Neighbours.
 Bringing Foreign Investments to spurt
economic growth.
 Promote Nepal as a Progressive
Democracy with Rule of Law, Protection of
Human Rights, and Equality.

5. Scope of Nepal’s Foreign Policy
 Which areas need due consideration in our Foreign Policy?
•Relationship with India and China: Pivot of our Foreign Policy
•Relationship with other Powers and Donors (Age of Globalization)
•IOs: UN, EU; RO: SAARC; International Economic Institutions: ADB, IMF, WB, etc.
•Economic Diplomacy: Donors, MNCs, Business Communities, IEIs, etc. for
Investment in Nepal.

6. UN Charter
 Although Drafted in 1941, only ratified in 1945
19 Chapters and 111 Articles
 First Global Document that Recognizes Nepal
as a Sovereign Nation
 Born out of Traumas of Two Devastating World
Wars
 Promise not to Repeat Failures of League of
Nations.
 Peace, Security, Collectivist, Equality,
Cooperation, Human Rights, etc.
 Success and Failures of UN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLwvuht0ZxY

7. UN Charter
 Given its Vulnerability and Existential Threats,*
Nepal Desperately Needed International Recog-
nition.
 Gateway to the World
 Offered International Forum to Voice its Conce-
rns and Complaints.
 Provided Best Platform to Play Greater Role in
International Community irrespective of its size

8. Principles of Panchasheel
 Brain-Child of Nehru, India-China both Co-opted to lay
it as a Foundation of Indo-China Relationship (1954).
 1955 Bangdung Conference of 29 Afro-Asian Countries
Incorporated Panchasheel into Ten Principles of Int’l
Peace and Cooperation in their Declaration.
 Tenets of Panchasheel also Imbibed into UN Resolution
on Peaceful Co-Existence Presented by India, Sweden,
and then Yugoslavia and Unanimously Adopted by UN
General Assembly on December 11, 1957.
 Panchasheel stood as a Core Principle of Non-Aligned
Movement’s First Conference in Belgrade 1961.

9. Principles of Panchasheel
Initial Euphoria but soon Reality Check (1962 war),
Relationship Never Really got back into track.
 At time of Signing it was a Trade Pact Regarding Tibet.
Later it was used as CSBM.
 Indo-Nepal and Sino-Nepal Relationship also claimed
to be based on ‘Panchasheel’.
 Does our 1950 Treaty with India Sync with Principles
Enshrined on ‘Panchasheel’?

10. Non-Alignment: Background
 Based upon Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence
‘Panchasheela’
 Idea was not to get involved into ‘Power Politics’
of Democratic or Socialist Block and to Retain
‘Strategic Autonomy’.
 Events Leading to Non-Aligned Movement.
 Did Founding Members of Non-Aligned Movement
Keep their Words?
• Indo-Soviet Treaty of Friendship (1971)
• Egypt-Soviet Collaboration During Suez Crisis.

11. Non-Alignment in Nepal’s FP
 Non-Alignment has been the Bedrock of Nepal’s
Foreign Policy since Opening to Outside World
despite few matters of Expediency
 Relatively ‘Untainted’ Non-Alignment of Nepal
 King Mahendra- “Non-Alignment: Equal Friendship
to All”. Diversification of Nepal’s FP
 At Times, this has been Effective Argument for
Party less Panchayat Rule in Nepal by King.
• Neither Communism of China nor Parliamentary
Democracy of India.
• As Domestic Outlook of Nepal to Wider World.
• Multi-party System Violets Non-Alignment Spirit.

12. Objectives of Non-Alignment for Nepal’s
FP
1. Minimize Capacity of External Forces to Influence
Foreign Policy of Nepal.
2. Maximize Goodwill and Benefits Coming from
Foreign Powers.
3. Contribute to Nepal’s Security and Expand its
Manoeuvrability vis-à-vis it’s Two Neighbours.
-Rose (1971: 280)

13. International Law
 While Domestic Law is Intended to Bring Order
and Stability in the Domestic Realm, International
Order and Stability is Maintained through Inter-
national Law.
 A country is Party to International Law when it
Ratifies International Law into its Jurisdiction.
 Different International Laws Focus on Different
Issue Areas; such as Civil and Political Rights,
Social and Economic Rights; Human Rights,
Laws of Sea, Environmental Laws, Laws on
Rights of Land-locked Counties, Laws Pertain-
ing to International Trade and Commerce; etc.

14. International Law and Nepal
 Party to Almost all Human Right Conventions -
First Country in South Asia to Accede to Conventi-
on against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Deg-
rading Treatment/Punishment, Second Protocol to
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
(Abolition of Death Penalty).
-NHRC Report 2007: 32/82/2064
 Also Signatory to Geneva Convention, Convention
On Transit Trade of Land-Locked States, Vienna Co-
nvention, and many more.
 Being Small Weaker State Landlocked by two Ma-
Mmoths, Nepal Can’t rely on Self-Help Mode. Must
Turn to Int’l Community for its Survival and Prosperity. Enhances legitimacy and
credibility of the State.

15. Value of Peace
 Why we needed ‘Zone of Peace’ Proposal even after being party to UN Charter,
founding member of Non-Alignment and our foreign policy firmly guided by
Panchasheela?
 International/Regional Context
• Sino-Indian War, Indo-Pak War
• India and China in two Opposite Cold-
War Camps
• Bangladesh, Sikkim
• Nuclear Weapons
Domestic Context
• Need for Distinctive FP for Birendra
• Domestic Power Consolidation

16. Value of Peace
What is in ‘Zone of Peace’ Proposal?
• Details of Proposal came in Feb 21, 1982
Address of Nepal Council of World Affairs.
• Will not Resort to Use of Force
• Peaceful Resolution of Conflict
• Will not let it’s Soil to be Used against any
Other State. It also Wants other States not
to let their Soil to be Used against Nepal

17. Selected Bibliography
• Sharma, U. K.(2004) The Peace Zone Concept and its Utility in Nepalese Foreign Policy.
Journal of Political Science, 2, pp. 44-50.
•Rothstein, R. (1968) Alliances and Small Powers. New York: Columbia University Press.
•Rose, L. E. (1971) Nepal: Strategy for Survival. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
•Baral, L.S. (1981) Nepal and Non-Alignment. International Studies, pp. 257-272.
•Fox, A. B. (2015) Power of Small States Diplomacy in World War II. London: BiblioLife.
•Whelpton, J. (2005) A History of Nepal. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press
• Khanal, Y. N. (1998) Essays in Nepal’s Foreign Affairs. Kathmandu: Murari Prasad Upadhyay.
•Einsiedel, S. V.; Malone, D. M.; Pradhan, S. (Eds.) (2012) Nepal in Transition: From People’s
War to Fragile Peace. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

18. Next Lecture
Determinants of Nepal’s Foreign Policy
•Geo-Politics
•Historical Relations
•Socio-Cultural Connections
•Political System and Changes
•Economic Situation

19. Question Time
Please introduce yourself before presenting your question.
Do try to make it brief and precise.

20. Thank you
Thank you for your Patience!