Kathmandu, Sept. 18 -- Flushed with a resounding electoral victory, the Nepal Communist Party government made a host of promises on delivering good governance. The introduction of the new criteria for ambassadorial appointments in November 2018, including making ambassadorial appointments in foreign missions three months prior to the expiry of terms of the incumbent, was one of such commitments.

But in the past two years, neither have the criteria been followed nor have there been timely ambassadorial appointments, as foreign relations seems to be beyond the government's area of priority.

"During the Panchayat years or even later after the restoration of democracy, there was a tradition of picking capable people who had the calibre to r...