Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has stressed the need of national dialogues to build the nations’ foreign policy on the basis of mass consensus.

Reviewing his 10-month stay in office on Sunday, Gyawali said he had to confront several problems at the beginning but the nation was now moving ahead adopting healthy and balanced foreign policies. “The development of foreign relations is moving ahead as per the interests of the nation,” he claimed.

During a discussion programme with chiefs of national media on Sunday, Gyawali made it clear that Nepal was not entertaining external interferences in the domestic affairs and was developing the international relations with a focus on the national prosperity. According to him, diplomatic code of conduct will be revised in the context of federalism.

Calling upon people concerned to narrow the existing gap between the government and the media on the foreign policy, the foreign minister said the government was exercising to garner support of the world community for national prosperity and economic development by further consolidating the ties with the neighbours. “The relationship with India has reached a new phase,” he said “We have been able to assure our neighbours that our foreign policy is independent and balanced.”

Speaking about the country’s cordial relations with China, he said the process to open nine transit points with the northern neighbour had reached the implementation phase.

Governments of other countries started feeling the presence of this mechanism following the fourth BIMSTEC Summit in Nepal last year, he said. Referring to his recent official visit to Japan, Gyawali said Nepal has entered a process to explore Japan as a new labour destination.

On the occasion, he also said the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act would be amended to address concerns of the international community, the victims and court verdicts.

In another context, Gyawali said a study is being carried out to find ways to treat the US’ Indo-Pacific Strategy.