(UPDATED with further details at 2009 NST, 1424 GMT)
KATHMANDU, Feb 11: US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher has said the US wants very good relations with the government of Nepal and wants to support the constitution-writing process. He arrived in Kathmandu for a two-day visit on Wednesday. [break]
He met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav and Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya, among others, Wednesday. "I had constructive meetings with the prime minister and the defense minister," Boucher said after his meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter´s office.
"The US wants very good relations with the government of Nepal… and wants to support the constitution-writing process," he said, adding, "US will continue to work with the people of Nepal."
He said the issue of removing US terror tag on Nepali Maoists was also discussed at the meeting with the prime minister.
Boucher is the highest US official to visit Nepal for the first time since the Maoists led the government in August 2008. He had visited Nepal twice in 2006. Boucher had postponed a routine trip to Nepal in December 2008. US Ambassador in Nepal Nancy Powell has been in Washington DC for "routine meetings" at the Department of State and is not here in Nepal during Boucher’s visit, according to a statement issued by the US Embassy in Kathmandu.
Meanwhile, the prime minister´s foreign policy advisor Hira Bahadur Thapa, who was also present at the meeting, quoting Boucher said "things are moving in a positive direction" over removing the terror tag on the Maoist party.
Boucher, however, did not elaborate on the issue, stating that he will do so at a press conference on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, who was also present at the 30-minute-long meeting with the prime minister, asked the US government to continue its annual support of US$70 million to Nepal.
Dr Bhattarai informed Boucher that Nepal wants to generate 10,000 megawatts of electricity within the next 10 years and needs Rs 20 billion and asked US to increase support to Nepal. Dr Bhattarai also sought increased US assistance for post-conflict programs like rehabilitation of disqualified Maoist combatants in the society.
"Boucher was positive on this," said Thapa, adding that Boucher told PM Dahal and Dr Bhattarai that there is no change in the US position to look at Nepal, with the change of guard in the White House.
tilak@myrepublica.com
