The US Department of State has warned US citizens of the potential risks of traveling to Nepal just a day before the formal inauguration of the Nepal Tourism Year (NTY)-2011.
Issuing a travel advisory on Wednesday, the Department of State said it is concerned about the security situation in Nepal and asked U.S. citizens to "be prepared to change their plans on short notice".
"Nepal has experienced significant political violence in the past and, although there have been markedly fewer major disturbances in recent months, political tensions remain. Protests, demonstrations, and disruptions continue to occur, often without advance notice," it said.
The advisory also mentions that the U.S. government's designation of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) as a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist" organization under Executive Order 13224 and its inclusion on the "Terrorist Exclusion List" pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, "remain in effect".