Kathmandu, Jan. 12 -- In a bid to what it calls address concerns from neighbouring countries, the Social Welfare Council is drafting a policy "to discourage" international non-governmental organisations from running programmes that can hamper Nepal's relations with India and China.

"Nepal is a land-locked country and has two large countries with large populations in the north and south," states a draft of the strategy policy prepared by the council regarding the foreign non-governmental organisations' functioning. "Based on Nepal's foreign policy of keeping balanced relations, the projects that are opposed by either country will not be implemented."

Council officials said the policy, however, is still in the draft stage and some of its ...