US 'pleased' by Maoist assurance for its programmes

A senior official at the United States Department of State has said the recent meeting of Ambassador Nancy J Powell with the Maoist leadership was focused mainly on seeking assurance from the Maoists that they will not obstruct the US government's programmes in Nepal.

"That meeting [with Maoist leadership] was principally to focus on and to gain assurances that the humanitarian programs that we have in Nepal, which are focused through nongovernmental organizations rather than the government, would, in fact, be honored and not interfered with. We were pleased to get a response that they did not intend to do anything to block or otherwise obstruct these programs," Deputy Spokesman of the State Department, Tom Casey, said during a press briefing at the Department Wednesday.

He explained that the relations of the US with Nepal government would depend "on the actions of the individuals".

According to Casey, the US government had never placed the Maoists in "foreign terrorist organization," list, but they are in "terrorist exclusion list", which only concerns consular issues.

"First of all, the Maoists in Nepal never have been a "foreign terrorist organization," as designated. That is one category under law. They have, however, been on the "terrorist exclusion list." That is something that applies to consular issues, visas and other kinds of matters," he clarified. nepalnews.com mk May 15 08

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