NEPAL'S NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR TO INDIA

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000105

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR SA/INS GREG BAYER AND DAVID GOOD


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINR PGOV PREL NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL'S NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR TO INDIA



1. His Majesty's Government of Nepal (GON) announced the
appointment of Karna Dhoj Adhikari as its Ambassador to
India on December 12, 2003. Ambassador-designate Adhikari
will replace acting Nepali CDA Pradeep Khatiwata, who has
been GON's representative since Ambassador Bekh Bahadur
Thapa returned to Kathmandu on August 15, 2003 to become de
facto Foreign Minister. Following is some biographical
information on Ambassador-designate Adhikari:


2. (SBU) Karna Dhoj Adhikari, before his recent appointment,
has served in various high-level government posts. He was
one of the facilitators for the government-Maoist peace
talks in April of 2003. He served as Chief Secretary,
Secretary of Finance (1981),and Secretary of the Ministry

SIPDIS
of Home and Panchayat (1979-1981). Earlier appointments
included Secretary in the Ministry of Water and Power (1976-
1979),and Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Food,
Agriculture and Irrigation (1974). Adhikari is a member of
the Raj Parisad Standing Committee. (NOTE: The previous King
formed the Raj Parisad Standing Committee, which consists of
a maximum of 15 members, including the Chairman of the Raj
Parisad, and the following ex-officio members: Prime
Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker of the Lower House,
Chairman of the National Assembly, Bada Guruju (head priest)
and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepal Army. The Standing
Committee of the Raj Parisad submits recommendations on
matters referred to it by the King, and carries out
functions relating to the Royal Family. END NOTE).



3. Ambassador-designate Adhikari is an engineer by
profession. He has served as the Chairman and General
Manager of Narayani Irrigation Project (1975-1976) and as
Chief Engineer in the Department of Irrigation (1961).
Adhikari started his career in 1955, by joining the Rapti
Valley Development Project as an Assistant Engineer.


4. Adhikari served as the Ex-officio Member of the National
Planning Commission (1981),of the National Commission of
Population (1982),and of the King Mahendra Trust for Nature
Conservation (1984).


5. Ambassador-designate Adhikari was born on October 10,
1931, and holds a Bachelors degree in Engineering. He was
married to the late Dipti Adhikari, and has two sons and one
daughter.


BOGGS