Trump’s South Asia envoy seeks meeting with reluctant Nepal PM, reports say.

(SeaPRwire) –   Balendra Shah, who won office in the March elections, is said to be refusing to meet a US official who is currently visiting Kathmandu 

According to local media reports, Sergio Gor, US President Donald Trump’s South Asia envoy, traveled to Nepal on Thursday, hoping to secure a meeting with the Nepali prime minister, who is unwilling to hold talks with junior-level foreign government officials.

The Kathmandu Post reported on Wednesday that recently sworn-in Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah turned down a request to meet visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Samir Paul Kapur earlier this month.

Per the same report, Gor is asking to meet with Shah at whatever time is convenient for the prime minister, either on Friday or Saturday.

The outlet added that as of Wednesday evening, the prime minister had not given any sign that he planned to meet the US diplomat.

Sergio Gor is the most senior foreign diplomat to visit Kathmandu since the Rastriya Swatantra Party administration led by Shah took office on March 27.

Citing multiple sources from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the report noted that Shah has not yet made a decision to meet Gor, even after requests were passed to him through various channels.

An aide to the prime minister confirmed that Gor will hold meetings with Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai, and several other local officials and political leaders.

The prime minister of the Himalayan nation is reported to want to set a precedent of only meeting with foreign officials of ministerial rank or higher.

To emphasize this policy position, Shah held a joint meeting with ambassadors from multiple countries on April 8, according to reports.

Gor has held multiple meetings with Bangladesh’s outgoing Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus during his regional trip. He has also met with Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, as well as Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu called off his scheduled meeting with Gor as a protest against the US and Israeli military campaign against Iran.

While this is Gor’s first official visit to Kathmandu, he has had previous interactions with the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). After the party won the March 5 elections, Gor had a phone call with RSP president Rabi Lamichhane on March 25 to congratulate the party on its electoral win.