Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka said on Friday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already sent a letter to the US government informing that Nepal will not participate in the State Partnership Program (SPP).

Speaking at Friday’s House meeting, Minister Khadka said that the Foreign Ministry on July 25 dispatched a letter to the US government about the Cabinet’s June 21 decision.

The government on June 21 decided to stay away from SPP after uproar over it in Parliament, with parties demanding an end to any partnership in a programme that has security and military components.

"I would like to inform you that on July 25, the Foreign Ministry sent a letter to the US government saying that Nepal has decided not to proceed with the SPP,” Khadka said.

“It took some time for us before we sent the letter as consultations were being held.”

Some parties and politicians had questioned the government why it was dragging its feet even after deciding that Nepal won’t participate in SPP.

“There were some concerns from our friends regarding SPP but the government had been clear from day one,” said Khadka. “Questioning the government’s intentions is unwarranted.”

Amid blame-game among parties, the US embassy said that Nepal was accepted in SPP in 2019 after two requests in 2015 and 2017. It was the embassy again that said in a statement that any country can terminate its partnership in SPP simply by writing a letter to the US government.

Khadka’s admission that the ministry has already sent a letter comes at a time when US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu is on a two-day visit to Nepal.

Lu arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday and he is expected to meet with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Khadka.