US Congressman Steve Chabot, who arrived here to assess the latest political situation, on Friday said his country was happy about Nepal’s handling of Tibetan refugees. On Thursday, the Republican Party affiliate met some Tibetan refugees and visited the Tibetan Reception Center.

“I am impressed by what the Government of Nepal has been doing about the Tibetan refugees,” he told a press conference before wrapping up his two-day visit. Supporting Chabot, US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H DeLisi said US was not only concerned about Tibetan refugees but refugees around the world, including Bhutanese refugees. When it comes to refugees, it is not only Tibetan refugees, the ambassador said. US and the Obama administration are committed to one-China policy so there is no need to press Nepal to abandon the one-China policy, he added. Nepal is home to more than 20,000 Tibetan refugees and US officials have time and again have asked Kathmandu to respect the “gentlemen’s accord” for the free movement of refugees to India. The US has also asked for the census of Tibetan refugees that has not place since 1990 as many Tibetan children were facing difficulties in education and employment. He also made it clear that US dœs not view Nepal through others’ eyes. “No”, he replied to the query whether US saw Nepal through the eyes of a powerful South Asian country. Chabot said his country wanted to increase trade volume with Nepal. “I am here to see on my own what is going on here,” he said, adding that the peace process had advanced more than what was reported. Chabot said it was the independent policy of US that the superpower was positive about removing the terrorist tag off the UCPN (Maoist). Even though some progress has been made, it is yet to be concluded and will be corrected over time, the US congressman said. Nepal-US relations would not suffer even if Nepal stuck to its decision to support the Palestine statehood bid

Published on: 1 October 2011 | The Kathmandu Post