Former prime minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has accused the previous government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba of straining relations with neighbouring countries.

Speaking at an orientation programme organised by the party’s Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday, Oli said the Deuba government had unnecessarily disturbed relations with India and China. But Oli did not offer any concrete proof to back his claim.

“In trying to get close to one country, relations with the other country were unnecessarily strained,” Oli said.

Oli as prime minister in 2020 had issued a new political map of Nepal by incorporating Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura, the Nepali areas on the western frontier also claimed by India. Oli’s was a tit-for-tat move after India unilaterally issued a new map by including the three areas within its borders.

“Our foreign policy was conducted in a very controversial fashion. We also experienced irresponsible tendencies like favouring one country over another… The new government will conduct its foreign policy as per the domestic needs and policies,” said Oli.

The orientation was organised for various party committees and members.

Oli said the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government would bring Nepal’s foreign relations back onto the right track.

UML’s Bimala Rai Paudyal is the new foreign minister in the Dahal-led government.

The present government will maintain balanced, credible, and trustworthy foreign relations, said Oli.

“We should not discriminate between the neighbours and treat them both equally,” he said.

“Earlier, an artificial tension was created with neighbouring countries. It was done at someone else’s behest…such behaviour is very dangerous for a country like ours which is in a geopolitically sensitive location,” said Oli without giving further details.

He said Nepal will not play one neighbour against another and will aim to be a good neighbour.

“We don’t play any cards against the neighbours. We want balanced and credible relations, we don’t say one thing and do something else… We want to be a good neighbour and will not harm our neighbours’ interests,” said Oli.

He stressed the need for conducting foreign policy so as to reduce the country’s ballooning trade deficit, and resolving boundary disputes, among other things.

Oli is also the head of the high-level political committee that advises and works with the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government on key political matters.

When Deuba was the prime minister, Nepal’s parliament ratified the Millennium Challenge Corporation Nepal Compact, a $500 million American aid to Nepal, with tacit support of the UML. But the Deuba government rejected the State Partnership Program of the US government. The Deuba government also endorsed China’s Global Development Initiative while expressing its reservations over China’s Belt and Road Initiative and China’s Global Security Initiative (GSI).

As Chinese officials and politicians have been urging Nepal to support the GSI, Nepali officials have made it clear that as per country’s stated policy, Nepal cannot support any alliance that has military, security or strategic component.

Oli said Nepal will not allow its land to be used against any neighbours and asserted that the country will not be part of any military alliance.

“We will not allow anyone to set up their army barracks [here]. We will not allow anyone to carry out their military activities inside our country. If any country tries to install such military barracks, it is an attack on our sovereignty and goes against our national interest,” said Oli.

“We will not compromise on sovereignty and independence and we will maintain relations based on mutual benefit and respect. Amity with all and enmity with none will be the cornerstone of our foreign policy.”