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🇳🇵 Nepal /Elections & Politics

In a surprise to the foreign ministry, Rubio calls Lamichhane

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Nepalese political leader Rabi Lamichhane to express condolences over deadly Bhotekoshi floods and offer additional US support.
  • Nepal’s Foreign Ministry said it learned of the conversation through media reports, highlighting Lamichhane’s growing role as an alternative channel for foreign diplomats.
  • The call follows several meetings between Lamichhane and senior US and Indian officials, although one claim about a possible Washington visit could not be independently verified.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call to Rabi Lamichhane caught Nepal’s Foreign Ministry by surprise. Ministry officials said they learned about the conversation through the media, even though Lamichhane is a leading figure in Nepal’s ruling party.

Rubio called the president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party on Monday to offer condolences for the deaths in the Bhotekoshi floods and express solidarity with Nepal’s people and government. The RSP said Rubio also offered additional US support.

We came to know about the conversation through the media

· Nepalese Foreign Ministry officialThe official described the ministry’s surprise at Rubio’s call to Lamichhane.

The call followed the August 26 floods along the Bhotekoshi river, which devastated riverbank areas. The article says 1,355 bodies have been recovered and about 5,000 people remain missing, including roughly 600 foreign nationals from 35 countries.

Lamichhane’s party won 182 seats in the March election. His growing political influence, access to foreign diplomats and contacts with senior US officials appear to have made him an increasingly important figure for Washington to engage. The call was not an isolated contact.

Gor has told Lamichhane that if he visits Washington, he’d help secure meetings with senior US officials

· Rastriya Swatantra Party leaderThe party leader described an alleged offer by Sergio Gor to facilitate meetings in Washington.

US Assistant Secretary of State Samir Paul Kapur met Lamichhane in Kathmandu in April after Prime Minister Balendra Shah declined to meet him. In May, US presidential special envoy Sergio Gor met Lamichhane in Kathmandu and later in New Delhi. An RSP leader told the Post that Gor expressed disappointment at not meeting Shah and offered to help arrange meetings with senior US officials, possibly including President Donald Trump. The Post could not independently verify that claim.

During the same India visit, Lamichhane met senior Indian officials, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. A senior Nepali diplomat said Lamichhane’s personal relationship with Gor and contacts at the State Department helped lead to Monday’s call.

Even with President Trump

· Rastriya Swatantra Party leaderThe leader said the alleged offer could include a meeting with the US president.
About this summary

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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