The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US for South Asian Affairs, Donald Camp (File Photo)

Visiting US Principal Deputy Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Donald Camp is meeting leaders of seven agitating political parties and government officials today.

He is scheduled to meet with Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala, CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is under house arrest since January 20 and NC (Democratic) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and some representatives of the civil society.

Party sources confirmed Camp’s meeting with party leaders.

Camp will also call on Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, this afternoon.

The top US official will hold a press conference in Kathmandu before leaving Nepal this evening.

His Majesty the King granted an audience to visiting Camp at Ratna Mandir palace in Pokhara on Wednesday.

The Himalayan Times daily reported that Camp conveyed US President George W Bush’s message to the King during the meeting.

Camp had arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday on a two-day visit to Nepal.

The purpose of Camp’s visit is said to be to convey an elaborated message of the crisp statement on Nepal made by US President George W Bush in New Delhi recently and also to update himself on new developments here. However, Camp did not comment on his visit upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi last week, the US President said he and the Indian premier “agreed” that the Nepali monarch should restore democratic process.

The US has been reiterating on the need for reconciliation between what it calls the constitutional forces, that is, the King and the mainstream political parties in the country.