KATHMANDU: Amid reports of foreign powers’ involvement in the formation of governments in Nepal, the United States categorically dismissed any involvement in Nepal’s political process.
“The United States is not involved in Nepal’s political process,” US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson told journalists in Kathmandu on Wednesday.
The United States, he said, is only involved in bilateral and diplomatic processes suggesting “Nepal should be able to make decisions on its own.”
Ambassador Thompson, meanwhile, said his topmost priority during his tenure in Nepal would be to implement the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to ensure that the project yielded the benefits as promised to the people of Nepal.”
He hoped for cooperation from all quarters, including the new government of Nepal and local governments, in implementing and accomplishing the project within the stipulated timeframe.
The Ambassador also said that the MCC project would open 10,000 jobs for Nepali citizens stating that the people of Nepal need to “understand its real outcome.”
Referring to some protests in Ratamate and other areas of project implementation, he said any obstruction or protests “will not diminish our optimism to implement the project”.
Ambassador Thompson said he was aware of the recent incidents in the construction of substations and road expansion in Nuwakot and Dang districts under MCC.
He added that they were trying to further look into the incidents.
“And yes, there will neither be any US forces in the ground nor any security, or defense-related personnel in any pretext,” he said responding to a query.
It may be noted that the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Nepal, a Government of Nepal agency, formed under the Development Board Act 2013 BS (1956 AD) to manage the USD 630 million infrastructure program, in November last year issued a specific procurement notice in regard with the construction of an electricity transmission line.
The project consists of Lapsiphedi-Ratmate-New Hetauda 400kV D/C Transmission Line, Ratmate-New Damauli 400kV D/C Transmission Line, and New Damauli-New Butwal 400kV D/C Transmission Line (Base) and New Butwal-Nepal/India Border 400kV D/C Transmission Line (Option).
He also refuted the longstanding claim that the United States sees Nepal through the eyes of New Delhi saying, “The U.S. looks at Nepal based strictly on bilateral relations.”
Responding to a query about the State Partnership Program (SPP), Ambassador Thomson clarified that the United States respects Nepal’s interest or desire to be a part of it, saying, “The program is only about the U.S. military conducting humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises and training exchanges with the Nepali Army.”
The United States, he said, would continue to support Nepal during disasters as part of the military ties between the two countries, and enhancing military capacity.
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