Kathmandu, April 2 -- The government is struggling to appoint the executive director at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, country's premier foreign policy think tank under the aegis of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has remained without a chief for over a year.

Though three names were sent to the Cabinet three months ago, a decision is yet to be taken.

In the absence of the executive director, the institution has largely remained inactive.

The post of the executive director of the institute has been lying vacant after Professor Panna Kaji Amatya died last year.

The institute is the only state-owned foreign policy think tank which provides support, as necessary and appropriate, to the government, particularly the Ministry of Foreig...