KATHMANDU: America’s interests are best served by Nepal that is sovereign and competent enough to pursue its own course through multilateral institutions to address its own interests, and not in the interest of anyone else, US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry has said.
Talking to select journalists at his residence in Kathmandu, Ambassador Berry said there will be no change in the US policy towards Nepal even after the political transition in the United States.
“Our engagement in Nepal is particularly on development agenda driven by the needs here,” he said adding, “The driving factor in the US-Nepal relations has been on the issue of development.”
He assured that all other range of engagements with Nepal will continue. “We believe fundamentally that America’s national security interests are best served by a Nepal that is democratic, sovereign, inclusive, and follows the rule of law.”
Ambassador Berry went on to add that American national security interests are best served by an “economically prosperous and economically integrated country”.
Responding to a query whether he has any discussions on the issue of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) during his meetings with Nepal’s political leaders, he said, “We have been engaged in development spheres in Nepal. We have offered MCC not because it gets anything except close to those goals.”
The MCC, he said, is not a political entity for America but a development and investment wing.
The political transition in the United States, he said, will not affect the MCC Compact, which is waiting for the parliamentary ratification.
He reiterated the US position on greater inclusion and democratic stability, greater economic prosperity, greater independence and sovereignty.
According to him, with the political transition in the United States, there will be some global issues such as climate change will see some changes in the policy, including in Nepal.
“We are working to bring our expertise and engagement to support Nepal’s own interests, for example, the Sagarmatha Sambad, which, I hope will come back to the schedule. We can engage in a meaningful way,” he added.
Likewise, US Ambassador Berry also made it clear that Nepal’s value with the US is not relative to China or India.
Responding to a query whether the US is still looking at Nepal through Indian eyes, he said America’s engagement in Nepal is particularly on development agenda driven by the needs here since Nepal, which has two big neighbors, cannot exist in a vacuum.
“We just believe in a solid, positive and constructive relationship with Nepal’s neighbors, and those should be built keeping Nepali sovereignty in mind, and also defined by transparent internationally recognized norms so that Nepal can participate fully in economic benefits of the region and also the expectations on human rights.”
According to him, Nepal as a sovereign country and the political parties being sovereign organizations, America’s interests in Nepal and globally are the workings of democratic systems.
“There is a constitution here. There are laws. America’s engagement in Nepal consistently been in support of democracy in support of those institutions process sometimes processes,” he while asked to comment on his position about the Nepal Communist Party row and the current political situation.
“We don’t take our view or positions on the NCP because it’s not our business to do so,” he said adding, “Obviously, that has now played out into the democratic and constitutional processes. That also has to work its way through. I think it would be presumptuous of us to make a statement not knowing the issue.”
Moreover, he said, there is a Supreme Court in the country, and there are constitutional principles that have to be sorted out and deliver it. “That’s part of the process. I would say this is exactly what we went through in the US.”
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