CPN lawmaker Pampha Bhusal has sought the government's answer on clarification sought by the US Embassy about the statement issued by Beijing attributing CPN Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
"We have heard that the US Embassy is seeking clarification from the Nepal government on the issue of Chairman Dahal telling Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that Nepal believes in one China policy and is not part of the Indo-Pacific strategy of America," Bhusal said speaking in the House of Representatives (HoR) on Thursday. "What is this? The Nepal government must answer."
She also opposed the planned joint exercise of the Armed Police Force (APF) with the US Army pointing that the US Embassy last month wrote to the government proposing two programs with the APF from November 4-15. "That joint exercise of the APF and the US Army should not be held. The government should inform the House if a letter has been received."
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday had issued a statement claiming that CPN Chairman Dahal during the meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang had assured that Nepal disapproves of Indo-Pacific strategy of the US. “Nepal firmly adheres to the non-alignment policy, disapproves of the so-called ‘Indo-Pacific strategy’, opposes any attempt to stop the development of China, and always believes that China's development is an opportunity for Nepal and is willing to learn from China's successful experience,” the statement read.
The US Embassy reacted to the Beijing statement seeking official clarification from the Nepal government about that. "We await the Nepali government’s official clarification and we have asked our Embassy in Beijing to verify the statement issued there. If true, it is bewildering that we now learn about Nepal’s positions from statements issued from Beijing," US Embassy Spokesperson Andie De Arment said on Wednesday.
CPN lawmaker Bhusal has sought the government's answers after the comments by the US spokesperson.
This is the third time the US Embassy has sought government clarification after the turn of this year, and the second about issues related to China.
The US Embassy in June 27 had also taken exception to deportation of a US citizen on request by the Chinese government and sought clarification from the Nepal government on that.
US citizen Penpa Tsering was taken under control by the immigration office at the Tribhuvan International Airport mistakenly assuming him to be the namesake who is a follower of the exiled Tibetan leader Dalai Lama.
China had requested the Nepali government to ban entry of Penpa Tsering who has already served as speaker of the Tibetan parliament in exile. The Immigration Department in line with the government's one China policy had accordingly blacklisted Penpa Tsering.
The immigration officials took the US citizen under control as they shared the same name and were also around the same age and deported him.
The US Embassy had taken exception to the deportation of its citizen and asked whether US citizen should get a clearance from other governments to enter Nepal.
The US Embassy had also sought government clarification on the statement issued by Dahal slamming the US for intervention in internal affairs of Venezuela.
"Communist Party of Nepal issues this statement in support of the people of Venezuela, the sovereignty of the state and the recognition of democratically elected constitutional President of Nicholas Maduro," the press statement issued in the name of Chairman Dahal on January 25 read, "Communist Party of Nepal also strongly denounces the US and its allies intervention in the internal affairs of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with the intention of increasing the violence by diving the people and challenging democracy, sovereignty and peace."
In the press release, Dahal accused the US of trying to create chaos and violence in Venezuela by putting inhuman economic sanctions and threatening military intervention. “It’s a serious challenge to the UN Charter and Principle of peaceful co-existence. Therefore, we call the US and other countries to respect the principle of noninterference, national sovereignty and peaceful co-existence.”
Juan Guaido on January 23 declared himself interim president claiming that the constitution gives him, as president of the congress, the authority to take over as interim president and form a transitional government until he calls new elections. The US and 16 nations of the Organization of American States immediately recognized Guaido as interim president.
Dahal had also appealed to the international community including the UN to stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela in their struggle to defend the national and people’s sovereignty.
The US Embassy in Nepal had sought the government's official position on the political developments in the Latin American country after Dahal's statement and the Foreign Ministry on January 29 issuing a statement said the government believes that there should be no external interference in internal affairs of any country.
