Kathmandu, April 17:

The American Diversity Visa Victims’ Association (ADVVA) today decided to “consider” the American Embassy’s offer to review cases of those denied the visas.

Ghanshyam Basyal, president of the ADVVA, said, “We are not announcing further protest programmes, but we will be keeping a close watch. If the embassy tries to trick us we will immediately announce protest programmes.” Basyal told this daily that the ADVVA is planning to organise a meeting with officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affiars (MoFA) within three days.

“A meeting was held between US Ambassador James F Moriarty and Foreign Minister Shahana Pradhan on the issue of the ADVVA on Monday. However, we don’t know what exactly transpired in the meeting,” Basyal said. Seven of its members were on a fast-unto-death from April 10, demanding refund of the money they paid during the visa interviews and compensation from the embassy. They called off the protest programmes yesterday, after Moriarty assured them that the embassy would review the cases of the “victims.”