KATHMANDU: Ridiculous that Prime Minister (PM) Sher Bahadur Deuba assured the ruling coalition leaders that he would not sign the widely-debated State Partnership Program (SPP) during his visit to the United States.

However, neither Prime Minister Deuba nor other political top-notches acknowledged the fact that “Nepal has already been a part of the US State Partnership Program (SPP)”, and it does not have any official document that needs to be signed.

It’s a matter of acceptance and agreement. Nepal first applied for the SPP in 2015 and then in 2017, and the United States accepted Nepal’s application in 2019.

“Since then (2019), Nepal has been part of the SPP,” a diplomatic source said.

Both the applications (in 2015 and 2017) were initiated by the then Chief of Army Staff Rajendra Chhetri, according to the source.

The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal were only informed about the application.

“Who do we believe is behind this disinformation? We do not know, but it is clearly someone intent on using humanitarian-focused U.S. programs as a means to an end, whether political or strategic,” Manual P. Micaller, Jr., Charge’ d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Kathmandu, said.

Meanwhile, a task force was formed under the coordination of the then Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi with the participation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Home and Defense.

The SPP’s website has mentioned that Nepal has been listed in 2019, which experts say was possible only after Nepal’s consent.

It is now up to Nepal to decide whether to maintain this partnership or not something which the Communist leaders – hell-bent on appeasing China – are ignorant of.

“There may be a way out when Nepal writes that we will withdraw from this partnership,” the source said.

“This is evidence that some political leaders, at the behest of China, are hell-bent on hoodwinking the Nepali people by amplifying the issue of SPP,” a lawmaker, who insisted on anonymity, told Khabarhub.

However, Nepal’s political leaders and even members of the intelligentsia believed that the “faded and ridiculously written document”, which was widely circulated and even disseminated by some media this week, was a real agreement reached between Nepal and the United States.

And all these political pundits (especially those from the Left parties), some journalists, and members of the intelligentsia have been proved wrong.

Reason: The US Embassy in Kathmandu has dubbed it “fake”.

Now the question is: Who benefits from such fake reports? Where did the people get the fake document?

Moreover, the United States has not exerted pressure on Nepal on the issue – not even during the recent visit of General Flynn.

“Reports that the United States exerted pressure on Nepali leaders are false,” the source said.

Moreover, the reports that General Flynn handed over a document to Nepal’s President Bidya Devi Bhandari, too, were nothing but a piece of fabricated content to misinform the Nepali people.

“The two (President Bhandari and General Flynn) engaged in a brief discussion, and General Flynn did not hand over any document, other than a gift to the President,” the source said adding, “There is no “agreement” to sign”.

General Flynn is learned to have discussed the status of SPP with his interlocutors but “without pressure and unrelated to any requirement to sign anything”.

Moreover, the source claimed that SPP does not have any connection with MCC as claimed by the Left leaders close to China.

“There is no connection whatsoever with MCC,” the source said claiming that efforts to link MCC with SPP are “dishonest and false”.

Now that travel is normalizing around the world, General Flynn visited Nepal to meet with senior leadership of the government of Nepal and the Nepal Army to discuss the long U.S.-Nepal partnership on humanitarian assistance and disaster management, and to commend Nepal for its strong support for UN Peacekeeping Missions, according to him.

“Who do we believe is behind this disinformation? We do not know, but it is clearly someone intent on using humanitarian-focused U.S. programs as a means to an end, whether political or strategic,” Manual P. Micaller, Jr., Charge’ d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Kathmandu, said.

“This is evidence that some political leaders, at the behest of China, are hell-bent on hoodwinking the Nepali people by amplifying the issue of SPP,” a lawmaker, who insisted on anonymity, told Khabarhub.

After the 2015 earthquake, Nepal sought humanitarian aid and resources to cope with natural disasters.

Is there a military component, or is SPP a military alliance?

“No. SPP is not an alliance of any kind,” Manual said.

SPP is neither a military alliance nor a China containment tool, he clarified.

It has existed for over 25 years and includes over 80 partnerships with over 90 countries, the majority of which are not in this region, and the majority of which began long ago.

Through SPP, the National Guard has military-to-military cooperation in support of both countries’ security goals by leveraging whole-of-society and government relationships and capabilities.

“This especially includes a focus on humanitarian and disaster readiness which the National Guard is uniquely trained to address,” he said adding that the ability or inability to respond to disasters is a security issue.

According to him, the U.S. National Guard domestically supports U.S. first responders in dealing with natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires.

Is the U.S. pressuring Nepal for an SPP as claimed by some political leaders in Kathmandu?

“Not at all,” he said. “The United States is not exerting pressure on Nepal for an SPP.”

In fact, the SPP is not a part of the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS), as claimed by some political leaders here.

As he said that SPP is mentioned in Indo-Pacific Strategy Reports, but this post-dates Nepal’s two requests to join SPP, which began in 2015.

Moreover, if anyone says IPS is a military alliance, that would be disinformation.

If people ask why did General Flynn visit Nepal after the endorsement of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)?

“During the past two years official visits of all kinds, including diplomatic, political, development and military leaders, were significantly curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Manual said.

Observers have to say that this is the “character of some left leaders who take pleasure in creating an unwarranted fuss, disinformation and controversy from behind-the-scene provocation from China.”

Now that travel is normalizing around the world, General Flynn visited Nepal to meet with senior leadership of the government of Nepal and the Nepal Army to discuss the long U.S.-Nepal partnership on humanitarian assistance and disaster management, and to commend Nepal for its strong support for UN Peacekeeping Missions, according to him.

The United States has consistently worked with the Government of Nepal to provide help to people in crisis – most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2015 earthquake.

“Through the SPP, the United States works with over 90 other countries to share the best practices and capabilities of our National Guards — our first-line responders,” he added.

Throughout our decades-long bilateral relationship, the U.S. has consistently supported Nepal during times of crisis, and in strengthening its disaster preparedness capabilities, Manual said.

What is SPP? 

The State Partnership Program (SPP) is an exchange program between an American state’s National Guard and a partner foreign country.

The U.S. National Guard domestically supports U.S. first responders in dealing with natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires.

SPP has existed for over 25 years and includes over 80 partnerships with over 90 countries, the majority of which are not in this region.

Now that since there was no agreement as such, however, after the US grant — Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) – communist party leaders have found a new issue – SSP — to create misperception and suspicion among the people.

SPP is not and has not ever been a security or military alliance. SPP has existed for 25 years worldwide and is recognized as a beneficial bilateral program.

Denial

More importantly, however, the United States Embassy in Kathmandu has denied the claims saying that the document published by some online outlets purporting to be a military deal between the United States and Nepal is fake.

“By policy, the United States does not ask countries to join the State Partnership Program and only responds to requests for consideration,” the Embassy said.

According to the statement, the SPP is an exchange program between an American state’s National Guard and a partner foreign country.

Through SPP, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, and economic and social spheres.

“After all, they (communists) excel in conspiracy theories,” a parliamentarian told Khabarhub insisting on anonymity.

Observers have to say that this is the “character of some left leaders who take pleasure in creating an unwarranted fuss, disinformation and controversy from behind-the-scene provocation from China.”

There are people’s issues such as good governance, corruption, prosperity, price hike, woes, and development, among others which go cold-shoulder.

After the restoration of democracy, some leftist leaders of the country have been vying for cheap and nationalist debates.

Speaking at the parliament, Chief Whip of Maoist Center, Dev Prasad Gurung, smelt rat over the government’s plan to sign SPP with the United States.

What has to be noted is that Nepal has every sovereign right not to reach an agreement on the issue, and that it can reject the proposal if not considered appropriate.

Mere politicization of the SPP is nothing but an act of vengeance for endorsing the MCC.

The purpose is to raise the level and support of Nepal’s soldiers rather than using Nepal’s land against any other country.

The US Army and Nepal Army are already engaged in joint training exercises, joint disaster management and rescue exercises.

Through SPP, the National Guard conducts military-to-military engagements in support of defense security goals but also leverages whole-of-society relationships and capabilities to facilitate broader interagency and corollary engagements spanning military, government, and economic and social spheres.

The left political party leaders have also dragged the stipulated visit of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to the United States into controversy.

PM Deuba is scheduled to visit the United States in the send week of July, and Army Chief Prabhu Ram Sharma is visiting the US from June 27 to July 1.