The United States is firm in its stance that the King should reach out to the political parties to restore democratic process in Nepal and address the Maoist insurgency, a senior US official said on Wednesday.
“It’s very critical for the Maoists to give up violence and the King to reach out to the political parties,” Elizabeth Millard, Senior Director at the National Security Council for Central and South Asia of the US, told Nepali media persons from the Washington DC in a video conferencing.
She said, “Dialogue does not mean fighting. It means talking. We are not looking at the words but the actions.” Saying that the US was worried that the “deteriorating situation could lead to chaos”, she made it known that the US would continue to send its emissaries to Nepal to discuss with different sides about the current situation.
Millard, who served in Nepal for 17 months until a few weeks earlier as the Deputy Chief of Mission, informed that US President George W Bush during his recent visit to South Asia had extensive discussion with Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Nepal and added that the Maoists should give up violence.
The US official, who accompanied President Bush during his South Asian tour, said that though she was unable to divulge the details of what transpired between Bush and the Indian PM over the Nepal situation, the US believed that the February 1, 2005, royal step was a step backward.
“February 1 was very troubling for us,” she said, adding, “It was unhelpful also in terms of addressing the Maoist insurgency and the situation [since February 1] has deteriorated.”
Even as the US and India have common view on Nepal, the US however, “does not see Nepal from India’s eye”, she clarified. Citing strategic location of Nepal – between two regional superpowers, China and India – she said the US would also be discussing the Nepal situation with Chinese officials as well.
US has “deep concern” over the human rights abuses by the Maoists and the state, she said, informing that the US military assistance to Nepal remains under constant review. “I think we have to continue to look at the developments. Arms assistance [to Nepal] is constantly under review,” said she.
On a question about former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s upcoming visit to the US, Millard said it was “good news” but she had no information about the visit. “I am very very pleased to learn about Deuba’s release [from custody] and the Supreme Court’s decision to dissolve the RCCC (Royal Commission for Control of Corruption). But I am unaware about the tour.”