KATHMANDU, Feb 3: Major opposition Nepali Congress has concluded that the recent statements made by the government and Chairman of Nepal Communist Party, Pushpa Kamal Dahal on the ongoing crisis of Venezuela were "insensitive" and "immature" and "detrimental to country's national interests".

A meeting of the NC's parliamentary party held at Singha Durbar on Sunday strongly objected to the statements made by the government and NCP chairman on the Venezuelan crisis.

"As an old and trusted friend of Nepal, the United States has been incessantly extending remarkable support to physical and social infrastructure building to the country for the past 65 years. For example, the United States has provided a huge amount of money under the MCC project, especially for developing the electric power transmission lines. The U.S. will be providing support for Nepal's socio-economic development in coming days too," the statement said adding "In this context, the statements made by the government and the ruling party chairman over the political developments of Venezuela, to a country with which Nepal does not have any relations, are absolutely insensitive, immature and detrimental to country's national interests."

The NC's statement comes following NCP Chairman Dahal and the government made separate statements on Venezuela crisis last week.

Earlier last week, Dahal in his statement had criticized US and its allies for “intervention in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with the intention of increasing the violence by dividing people and challenging democracy, sovereignty and peace.”

Peeved by the statement, US Embassy in Kathmandu had sought clarification if the statement coming from the chairman of ruling party chairman was official position of the government.

In addition to that, the US State Department called Nepali Ambassador to the U.S. Arjun Karki to seek clarification on the same issue.

Two days after the US State Department sought clraficiation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued statement stressing the need for resolving the Venezuelan crisis “free from external interference. However, the US officials in Kathmandu have described as continuation of Dahal's earlier statement.

The US officials have been terming the statement “unfair”, “ill-advised” and something that “does not serve Nepal's interest.”

Amid row, on Friday, US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry skipped a diplomatic briefing hosted by the government to Kathmandu-based diplomatic community which has been described as the US displeasure over the Nepal's stand on the Venezuelan crisis.

 
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