The Washington Diplomat

Ambassador Kedar Shrestha:
Nepal Confronts Growing Insurgency
by Craig Mauro
Nepalese Ambassador Kedar Shrestha has a message for the international community: “You will have to bear with us.”
When King Gyanendra dismissed the government, suspended fundamental rights and declared a state of emergency on Feb. 1 to confront a strengthening Maoist insurgency, several countries condemned the move and called for a restoration of democracy. more...

President of Women for Women International Zainab Salbi
Helping Women Emerge From Horrors of War
by John Shaw
Zainab Salbi, president of Women for Women International, said she is all for written constitutions that support freedom, democracy and human rights. And she is delighted when governments endorse equal rights for women and promise ample economic opportunities. But she is far more impressed when constitutions and governments provide tangible guarantees for women in specific areas of day-to-day life. more....

After Recent Elections, Kazakhstan Taking Carefully Planned Approach to Democracy
by Michael Coleman
“We have always kept in mind that democracy is our goal, not the starting point. We knew that democracy cannot be decreed; it can only be gained by labor and passion.”
- Nursultan Nazarbayev, president of Kazakhstan
Over the past several months, Kyrgyzstan and Ukraine each made international news as they stumbled along a path to democracy that remains rife with political roadblocks stemming from years of Soviet rule. more....

Eating Disorders Increasing
Among Women 35 and Older
by Gina Shaw
The words “anorexia” and “bulimia” usually conjure up images of waiflike teenage girls or young college women binging on three pints of Ben & Jerry’s before bolting to the bathroom to throw it all up. When you think of eating disorders, you probably think of someone who looks like Mary-Kate Olsen, not someone who looks like your mother. more....


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Many of Washington’s Ex-Ambassadors
Continue in High-Profile Careers
by Larry Luxner
Leila Rachid leaned forward, her petite frame dwarfed by the ornate surroundings of her third-floor office in downtown Asunción. more....

Pope John Paul II:
‘A Star on the Horizon’
by Craig Mauro
Boundless energy and an ever-present eye for humor are two traits for which his admirers will remember Pope John Paul II.
Monsignor William Kerr, who directs the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center in Washington, recalled a speech during the pontiff’s first visit to the United States. more....

Ambassador Says Arab League Playing
‘Crucial Ro le’ in Middle Eastern Issues
by Craig Mauro
For the ambassador of an organization that often faces criticism from many directions, Hussein Hassouna keeps a remarkably positive outlook.
Yes, the League of Arab States, which turned 60 last month, may have its problems, but its viability is more important than ever, said Hassouna, who has been the organization’s envoy in Washington since 2002. more....

Golfers Can Take a Swing
At Instructional Software Programs
by Alan B. Nichols
At last it’s May and spring is in the air. At three locations around the Washington metro area, golf balls are also in the air, as veteran hackers scour the rust off their games after a long winter, and newcomers prepare for a new sporting adventure of a lifetime. more....