Issuing a statement to myrepublica.com, the embassy further said that the ambassador’s visit to Upper Mustang, which has caused much controversy in the past days, is an “orientation tour” of the remote Upper Mustang region of Nepal. During her journey, she met with the district officials, visited libraries and observed ecological and development challenges facing Mustang at present.
“This is the ambassador’s orientation visit to launch the project for cultural preservation in Upper Mustang,” Nicole Chulick, Information Officer of the US Embassy, said. Giving clarification on the trip, she added that Powell’s personal interests in trekking and photography also inspired her to make the trip.
Chulick further informed that all necessary trek permits for the visit were taken from the government.
Powell left for Mustang on March 30 and is scheduled to return on April 10.
Meanwhile, the German Embassy also has clarified about the recent visit to Mustang by its ambassador, Verena Grafin von Roedern, terming it as purely “personal.”
“The ambassador’s visit was a personal trekking holiday. She was in Mustang from March 21 to 30 with all required legal permit,” Krishna Karki, personal relation officer of the embassy, said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy too has stated that Ambassador Rakesh Sood did not visit the Upper Mustang region in the immediate past as was reported in the media lately.
“The ambassador did not go to Mustang with the American ambassador, although he had made a trip to this region last year,” Tsering W Sherpa, the second secretary (PIC) of the Indian Embassy, told myrepublica.com.
Sirish Narayan Poudel, legal officer at the Department of Immigration (DoI), told myrepublica.com that his office issued permits to the ambassadors to travel to Mustang "at the recommendation of the Foreign Ministry".
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