KATHMANDU: The US Embassy in Kathmandu has stated that the document claiming that there is a defense agreement between Nepal and the United States is untrue. The US embassy tweeted on Tuesday evening that the United States would not allow any country to join the State Partnership Program (SPP) and would address any demand.
The US embassy said in a statement that the document published in some online outlets that purports to be a military deal between the United States and Nepal is fake. By policy, the United States does not ask countries to join the State Partnership Program and only responds to requests to do so.
After the US made public its proposal to Nepal to join the SPP, it has made waves in Nepali politics. Experts have suggested that Nepal should not enter into such an agreement in the increasingly geopolitical situation and that Nepal could face competition from the major powers.
The embassy made its statement public in the evening after interest and discussion on the issue increased throughout the day on Tuesday.
The document published in some online outlets that purports to be a military deal between the United States and Nepal is fake. By policy, the United States does not ask countries to join the State Partnership Program and only responds to requests to do so. ++
— U.S. Embassy Nepal (@USEmbassyNepal) June 14, 2022
“The State Partnership Program (SPP) is an exchange program between an American state’s National Guard & a partner foreign country. The U.S. National Guard domestically supports U.S. first responders in dealing with natural disasters, such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires,” the embassy said in a statement.
The embassy said SPP has existed for over 25 years and includes over 80 partnerships with over 90 countries, the majority of which are not in this region.
“In the event of natural and other disasters, ranging from hurricanes to earthquakes, floods, and fires, the United States seeks to share the best practices and capabilities of our National Guards — our first-line responders,” the US embassy said in a statement.
