Terming the agreement between the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) government and the Maoists as a “good first step,” US ambassador to Nepal James Francis Moriarty has said that the US government’s future viewpoint regarding the Maoists will depend on their actions.

“Future will tell how effective this agreement will be,” Moriarty told journalists on Wednesday evening, adding, “This will all depend on the Maoists’ actions.”

When asked what he thought about the agreement on arms management, Moriarty – who has been stating that the Maoists must completely renounce violence before it can join the government – said people will see how it “plays out.”

“Nepalese people deserve peace and democracy,” Moriarty said. He further added that US will consider withdrawing terrorist tag from the Maoists only after studying their future actions.

He made these comments after he addressed the inaugural function of Enterprise and Management Development Center (EMDC) – a partnership between Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) and Virginia Tech of the United States. The center aims to provide professional management services directly to business and development organizations.

Speaking at the program, KU Vice Chancellor Professor Suresh Raj Sharma said he hoped this partnership would yield fruitful results.