CPN-UML lawmaker Bhim Rawal has demanded an investigation into everything related to America’s State Partnership Program (SPP) that has come to light so far.
Speaking at a meeting called by the House of Representatives' International Relations Committee to discuss about the SPP on Friday, Rawal has demanded that a committee be formed to investigate into the SPP as different bodies have issued different statements with regard to the program.
“Sometimes saying we have signed an agreement, denying it at other times; such things will dent our credibility,” said Rawal. “America has called it (SPP) a part of its Indo-Pacific Strategy. We say it is not. When was this agreement signed, and by whom? Let us form a committee and investigate.”
Rawal had joined the then KP Sharma Oli government as defense minister just over a week after the Nepal Army (NA) first wrote to America on October 27, 2015 to participate in SPP with permission from Oli who also oversaw the Defense Ministry until appointing Rawal nine days later.
The NA and the US Embassy in Nepal both have revealed that the copy of the letter was sent to the Defense Ministry that he took over just nine days later.
Rawal has also suggested that the government should write to America to inform it that Nepal is not a part of the SPP.
