Nepal Army says no possibility of signing SPP with US
In a rare act, Nepal Army on Wednesday said signing the State Partnership Programme (SPP) with the US is neither on its agenda nor will it ever be.
A statement issued the Army headquarters late Wednesday said Nepal Army will never sign any deal for partnership that goes against Nepal’s non-aligned foreign policy as well as the country’s geo-strategic location and strategic sensibilities.
Foreign Miner Narayan Khadja told Parliament on Tuesday that SPP was not a military deal and “it will go soon after the contract is over.”
🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
There is speculation that SPP draft, which was sent the US seeking collaboration between Euta State National Guards and Nepal Army to fight natural disaster and train NA in high altitude and counter intelligence purpose in 2015, will be formalised during Prime Miner Sher Bahadur Deuba visit to the US next month. Army Chief Prabhu Ram Sharma is also scheduled to visit the US before that.
President Bidhya Bhandari is believed to have conveyed PM Deuba not to do anything against national sentiment. Nine left parties had also asked PM Deuba not to visit the US as Parliamentary elections were less than six months away and “signing any deal with policy content would be wrong”.
