Sir Edmund Hillary

Kathmandu, May 4: Mountaineer-turned-diplomat Sir Edmund Hillary has postponed his annual visit to Nepal, citing security reasons.

According to Elizabeth Hawley, a close associate of Hillary and a mountaineering expert, Sir Edmund was scheduled to fly into Nepal in April like he does every year.

However this time around he decided to postpone the trip. ?He hasn?t fixed any date for his visit yet. Security concerns could be one of the reasons for the postponement,? Hawley explained.

Despite having respiratory problems, Hillary visits the Himalayan kingdom every year during the advent of the mountaineering season.

The mountaineer regularly visits Solukhumbu where his Himalayan Trust runs various health projects and schools for the Sherpa children

Former Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand had conferred an honorary citizenship on Sir Edmund during the Everest Golden Jubilee Celebrations in May, 2003, for his contribution to health and social service sectors in Nepal.

Sir Edmund and his wife June chose to be here in Nepal during the 50th anniversary of his first ascent to Everest with Tenzing Norgay despite receiving an invitation from Queen Elizabeth for the 50th anniversary of her coronation.

?The place we wanted to be during the event was in Nepal and also to be among our Sherpa friends,? Sir Edmund had said during the celebrations.

With the escalating violence owing to the Maoist conflict several countries including the US, Australia, UK and New Zealand had issued travel advisories asking its citizens not to visit the Himalayan nation.

Deuba detention

A Nepali anti-graft body extended former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba?s detention by a week today as global rights groups urged King Gyanendra to restore civil liberties after lifting a state of emergency.

Deuba was arrested last Wednesday and ordered detained for a week after he defied a summons from the Royal Commission for Corruption Control to answer allegations of corruption while distributing state funds.

and naming contractors for a water project.