There are new hints that Nepal´s CPN-Maoist party poised to take the leadership of the next coalition Nepal Government is going to be accepted by the US government. The Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department, Tom Casey, referring to an earlier meeting between US Ambassador to Nepal, Nancy Powell and the Maoist Chairman Prachanda in Kathmandu before her departure to Washington, stated, " The meeting (between the two) was principally to focus on and to gain assurances that the humanitarian programs that we have in Nepal, which are focused through nongovernmental organizations rather than the government, would, in fact, be honored and not interfered with. We were pleased to get a response that they(the CPN-M) did not intend to do anything to block or otherwise obstruct these programs. But you know, ultimately, the basis of our relations with the Government of Nepal will be based on the actions of the individuals there. Whether or not the legal issues involved and the changes that have occurred in the government there are such that it would warrant a change in the status of that party on the terrorism exclusion list is, again, to get back to something I said earlier, something you can get a lot of lawyers in the room together and argue about. But the basic fact is we have many ways in which we are trying to provide support to the people of Nepal, and our principal concern in this meeting was to assure ourselves that the new government was not going to do anything to change or otherwise obstruct those programs." Casey also stated that the Nepal Maoists had never been a "foreign terrorist organization," as designated; they were rather in the "terrorist exclusion list" that has implications on consular issues, visas and other kinds of matters. The State Department, in effect, noted that the meeting between US envoy Powell and Prachanda in Kathmandu about two weeks back, was based on getting these assurances from the Maoist leadership that the new Nepal Government would not do anything to change or obstruct the US programs supporting Nepal.
Earlier, Nepali and South Asian media had been hinting at a possible rethink on the Maoists from the US perspective ever since the Powell-Prachanda meeting took place, though some commented that the US might consult India more closely before deciding on a pubic stance. India, on the other hand, has already been dealing with Nepal´s Maoists since the 12 point agreement in 2006. In fact, India´s Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Rakesh Sood has already met Prachanda two times, besides Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and other political leaders to urge them all to work together peacefully and constructively to form a new democratic Nepal Government that would be acceptable and serve the democratic aspirations of the Nepali people, a position the US has also stated earlier.
One should emphasize the close and friendly ties that exist between Nepal and the US. After Nepal held its constituent assembly elections on April 10, the United States was among the first Western countries to welcome it stating that Nepal had taken a huge step toward towards the path of peace and democracy. Earlier the US and India had welcomed the election as a historic people based initiative that would lead Nepal to peace, prosperity and happiness. According to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu in a press statement released then, "The United States heartily congratulates the people of Nepal on their successful Constituent Assembly election on April 10. After nearly a decade since the last general election and more than half a century of demanding the opportunity to elect representatives to draft a constitution, the voters have spoken." The U.S. Embassy had further stated, "Despite pre-election violence and intimidation and the regrettable death of candidates and party workers, only a small percentage of polling stations will require re-polling. Overwhelmingly across the country men and women were able to cast their ballots in a peaceful and orderly way…This represents an historic achievement and is a tribute to the courage of the Nepali people and the conduct of the Election Commission.... Nepal has taken a huge step forward on the path of peace and democracy. In the days and weeks to come as the votes are counted, we urge patience and respect for the results."
Ex- US President Jimmy Carter, had also played a crucial role with the valuable presence of the 60 member Carter Center Team which went to different polling districts, including Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan encouraging voters to participate peacefully in the elections. Carter was the first person to welcome the Nepal elections terming it a ´revolutionary´ success. Carter had made these comments in the course of observing a polling center in Patan´s constituency no. 3 on April 10 where he actively served as an election observer.
Even before the CA Poll, the US had renewed its support for a peaceful election through which all Nepalis can freely choose their own future. The election was seen by the US government as an historic opportunity for the Nepali people to choose their representatives who could decide the constitutional framework for Nepal's future government. The US had also assisted generously by giving logistical, operational and financial support to the Nepal Election Commission and the security forces, the political parties and domestic observers, including the Nepali media. A major part of that activity involved ballot design, printing ballot papers, and training for Nepal Police and the Nepal Armed Police Force, besides helping set up the EC´s Joint Election Operations Center.
Nepal and the US have always enjoyed excellent relations with the highest number of Nepali foreign students studying in the US, while the US tourists come to Nepal in large numbers for adventure tourism sports, mountain climbing and trekking. Nepal has also received valuable US foreign assistance since 1951 touching every aspect of the Nepali life such as health, agriculture, education, power and energy sector development, transportation, conducting elections, improving the legal system and the rule of law, and poverty alleviation. Many Nepali younger generation government officials and politicians have been taught by ex-US Peace Corps volunteers who were highly popular in their rural development activities infusing local entrepreneurial skills in sustaining income generation, education and development initiatives such as helping improve the local water supply, food security, communications and alternate energy development.
Earlier, Nepali and South Asian media had been hinting at a possible rethink on the Maoists from the US perspective ever since the Powell-Prachanda meeting took place, though some commented that the US might consult India more closely before deciding on a pubic stance. India, on the other hand, has already been dealing with Nepal´s Maoists since the 12 point agreement in 2006. In fact, India´s Ambassador to Nepal, Mr. Rakesh Sood has already met Prachanda two times, besides Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and other political leaders to urge them all to work together peacefully and constructively to form a new democratic Nepal Government that would be acceptable and serve the democratic aspirations of the Nepali people, a position the US has also stated earlier.
One should emphasize the close and friendly ties that exist between Nepal and the US. After Nepal held its constituent assembly elections on April 10, the United States was among the first Western countries to welcome it stating that Nepal had taken a huge step toward towards the path of peace and democracy. Earlier the US and India had welcomed the election as a historic people based initiative that would lead Nepal to peace, prosperity and happiness. According to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu in a press statement released then, "The United States heartily congratulates the people of Nepal on their successful Constituent Assembly election on April 10. After nearly a decade since the last general election and more than half a century of demanding the opportunity to elect representatives to draft a constitution, the voters have spoken." The U.S. Embassy had further stated, "Despite pre-election violence and intimidation and the regrettable death of candidates and party workers, only a small percentage of polling stations will require re-polling. Overwhelmingly across the country men and women were able to cast their ballots in a peaceful and orderly way…This represents an historic achievement and is a tribute to the courage of the Nepali people and the conduct of the Election Commission.... Nepal has taken a huge step forward on the path of peace and democracy. In the days and weeks to come as the votes are counted, we urge patience and respect for the results."
Ex- US President Jimmy Carter, had also played a crucial role with the valuable presence of the 60 member Carter Center Team which went to different polling districts, including Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan encouraging voters to participate peacefully in the elections. Carter was the first person to welcome the Nepal elections terming it a ´revolutionary´ success. Carter had made these comments in the course of observing a polling center in Patan´s constituency no. 3 on April 10 where he actively served as an election observer.
Even before the CA Poll, the US had renewed its support for a peaceful election through which all Nepalis can freely choose their own future. The election was seen by the US government as an historic opportunity for the Nepali people to choose their representatives who could decide the constitutional framework for Nepal's future government. The US had also assisted generously by giving logistical, operational and financial support to the Nepal Election Commission and the security forces, the political parties and domestic observers, including the Nepali media. A major part of that activity involved ballot design, printing ballot papers, and training for Nepal Police and the Nepal Armed Police Force, besides helping set up the EC´s Joint Election Operations Center.
Nepal and the US have always enjoyed excellent relations with the highest number of Nepali foreign students studying in the US, while the US tourists come to Nepal in large numbers for adventure tourism sports, mountain climbing and trekking. Nepal has also received valuable US foreign assistance since 1951 touching every aspect of the Nepali life such as health, agriculture, education, power and energy sector development, transportation, conducting elections, improving the legal system and the rule of law, and poverty alleviation. Many Nepali younger generation government officials and politicians have been taught by ex-US Peace Corps volunteers who were highly popular in their rural development activities infusing local entrepreneurial skills in sustaining income generation, education and development initiatives such as helping improve the local water supply, food security, communications and alternate energy development.
