Friday, June 17, 2005

More British Irrelevance


british ambassador keith bloomfield

In an increased effort to sound as aloof and callous as his U.S. embassy counterpart James Moriarty, British ambassador Keith Bloomfield blows a lot of worthless hot-air into Nepal's issues. (Article reprinted from kathmandu on-line; blogdai commentary in blue)

Democracy pre-requisite for peace: UK envoy
KOL ReportKATHMANDU, June 16 -

British Ambassador Keith Bloomfield Thursday said that democracy is an essential pre-requisite for a successful peace process. No, you fool, peace is a prerequisite for peace. Democracy only assists in maintaining the peace. Better add "functional" democracy to your statement or people will think that you are not talking about Nepal.

“The rule of law and democratic system is essential for ending conflict through peaceful negotiations,” Bloomfield said at a programme in Bhaktapur today. Democratic systems arrive after the rule of law is established. "Peaceful negotiations" tells everyone that you haven't been paying attention to Nepal's core issue: Maoists don't want peaceful negotiations.

Bloomfield said that the United Kingdom has always stood for flexible, selfless and result-oriented peace talks to bring an end to the conflict in Nepal. Bold and courageous there, Keith.

“The United Kingdom believes firmly that democracy is far more likely to produce the answers we want,” said the British envoy, “and end violence to negotiated measurable solutions to the conflict and fundamental reforms.” So nice of you to tell Nepal what you "want." What about what the Nepalis want?“We think that the alternatives which are intolerance, autocracy or further violence are much less likely to deliver the answers we want,” he saidBloomfield also made it clear that British military aid other than bomb disposal equipment remains suspended. (dds) "We think...we want... do you get the impression that this guy misses the good old days when the sun never set on the British empire? Typical useless fluff from the British ambassador... follow lock-step with the U.S's disengaged Nepal policy and try not to sound repetitive. The U.K. has sent a blistering L110,000 in military aid to Nepal over the last 4 years---basically, nothing. Why should we even bother to listen to their pronouncements? -

Update: June 21. Busted! Seems old Keith got himself into trouble with the government over his remarks. http://kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=43531. Like we've said, the best and the brightest stars of the diplomatic community seldom make it to Nepal. It is considered a "hazard" posting that is usually staffed by diplomats who's careers have stagnated. -=blogdai

-=blogdai

6 Comments:

At 3:00 AM, June 18, 2005, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Quite right Blogdai!

He's talking drivel, arrogant drivel at that!

 
At 12:39 AM, June 19, 2005, Anonymous Anonymous said...

On the dopic of diplomats and diplomacy, what the hell is going on with these new ambassadorial appointments?

Tara Bahadur Thapa with his ties to the Thai royal family.. ok; Victry Rana to a meanilngless country.... fine; but what the hell is Prajwalla Rana doing in Paris?

Is this the same man on who a solider's mother spit on (after he pinched his nose while identifying the dead man's corpse)? Is this the same loser who was busy traveling in Europe when the Maoists attacked the Dang Barracks? The same moron who could not come out of his "pooja kotha" to lead the army when other army barracks were attacked? The same man who embezzled millions of Rupees while building the new army club and buying the army's sky truck? The same man who at one point in time, had about 30 soliders working in his house, catering to his drug addict son, his daughter and his wife? Could this be the same man who during his tenure as CNC amassed so much wealth that he was able to build a palace in Pokhara, one in Lazimpat and several others plots of land scattered around KTM?

And now, this is the fellow who is going to represent Nepal to a member country of the EU (while laundering his dirty money at Merrill Lynch in London)?

Talk about hypocricy from the Brits and now the French... how could they possibly have accepted a character as morally decripit as Prajwalla as a member of Paris's diplomatic community?

 
At 7:32 AM, June 19, 2005, Blogger blogdai said...

Prajwall Rana is a biproduct of French influence peddling. Rana represents corrupt old-money Nepal. The french love to do business through these back corridors.

Speaking of which, weren't the French curiously silent on the King's takeover? Here we have the British tripping all over themselves trying to say something important and fit in, yet we hear almost nothing from the French.

Turns out the French still have a big arms deal on deck for the Chinese. Wouldn't want to disrupt future business by speaking ill about an obviously Chinese-orchestrated coup would we?

Funny thing about ambassadors to Nepal. They are not the best and brightest in the diplomatic community. Nepal is considered a "hardship" posting so you will usually find diplomats with careers on the downward swing being relegated to Kathmandu. This helps explain the doltish comments by both Moriarty and Bloomfield.

-=blogdai

 
At 2:29 PM, June 22, 2005, Anonymous Anonymous said...

So we all know that the British are amongst the biggest arms suppliers in the world. Currently around third or fourth position in the global league. And we also know that lobby/interest groups are part and parcel of modern western democracies. It occurs to me that there's a certain amount of hypocrisy going on:

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/enquiries.php#raq427f5a4771b55

Now there's no examples of lethal weapons listed here but take into account the hardware that they're showcasing, the marketing dept and the fact that it's a murky world. I'm sure there's no harm in making an enquiry for the would be power hungry despots and Dr Evils of this world...

naagboy

 
At 11:48 PM, November 15, 2005, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Keith Bloomfield is a foolish person.Just like the corrupt Nepalese politician. DFID has spending nearly USD 10 million every year, and with league with local NGO and corrupot politician Keith Bloomfield has made a fortune the last four years in Nepal. He has made a expensive SUV present to the Jack Straw also.

 
At 11:50 PM, November 15, 2005, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nepal just kick this fool out of the country we have nough corrupt politician we don't want one from UK Keith Bloomfield

 

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