Kathmandu, August 25 :

A four-member delegation of the US Congress, led by Congressman Jim Kolbe, today initiated political discussion after its arrival here.

The delegation met Minister for Foreign Affairs, KP Oli at Shital Niwas and conveyed US Congress’s message that the US would not support the government if the Maoists entered it without management of their arms.

“The US still holds that the Maoists should be disarmed prior to joining the government,” said Oli after meeting the delegation.

Asked if the government had requested the US about removing the Maoists from its terrorist list, Oli said the US had not included the Maoists in the list on the request of Nepal, and neither will it remove the names from the list on the request of the government.

“The US has certain criteria to include anyone in its terrorist list. The US will remove the Maoists from the terrorists list only when they give up violence,” said Oli.

He said that the delegation had discussed with him the ongoing peace process and the sustainability of restored democracy.

“They conveyed US people’s support to Nepal for sustainable peace and democracy,” Oli added.

Jim Kolbe, the leader of the delegation, who is also the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programmes, refused to comment on the meeting and said the team has a busy schedule.

The Congressmen also met the officials at the Peace Secretariat and held discussions on the ongoing peace process.

US ambassador to Nepal, James F Moriarty, was present in the meetings.

They are also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, other senior government officials and representatives of the civil society. The team will meet the press before its departure on Monday.