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India
can't afford a failed Nepal: PM
by I.Ramamohan
Rao
Onboard
Air India One: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today
said that India's role in Nepal is limited to ensuring the
return of multi-party democracy and constitutional democracy.
Interacting with press persons onboard Air India One en route
to Hannover, Dr. Singh said: "Our role is to ensure that all
elements of political democracy, Constitutional monarchy and
multi-party democracy are in place in Nepal. We cannot afford
Nepal to be a failed state. Dr. Singh also welcomed King Gyanendra's
announcement on Thursday to hand over power to the seven-party
alliance, describing it as a step in the "right direction".
He said the King's announcement had initiated the process
for formation of a government in Nepal which exercises all
executive powers. "By and large, whatever steps the King has
made, they are in the right direction," Dr. Singh told reporters
accompanying him on his five-day visit to Germany and Uzbekistan.
Singh said that it was important that multi-party democracy
should be restored in Nepal and "there should be a government
in place which exercises all the executive powers. The process
has begun." In reply to a question, Dr. Singh said: "Whatever,
we cannot afford to have Nepal as a failed state... I'm not
saying Nepal is a failed state." "We have to help Nepal to
deal with difficulties they have got into," the Prime Minister
said. "Our role is that of a conciliator to ensure that democratic
process is restored ...Our role is to ensure that all elements
of Nepalese polity are talking to each other. Now, I hope
the King and political parties will talk about future consequential
steps." Singh said India has a position that the Constitutional
monarchy and multi-party democracy are two pillars of Nepalese
polity and there is no change in the stand.
India's support for democracy in Nepal
New Delhi: Foreign
Secretary Shyam Saran on Saturday told mediapersons here that
India is committed to helping the people of Nepal get back
to a multi-party democratic system that existed before February
1, 2005. Lauding the people of Nepal for keeping their faith
in democracy and freedom, Saran told the media here that his
visit to Kathmandu earlier this week along with the Prime
Minister's Special envoy, Dr. Karan Singh, was specifically
aimed at informing King Gyanendra about India's assessment
of the situation in the kingdom, and the need for the King
to be aware of the groundswell of opinion for restoration
of democracy. He also described King Gyanendra's announcement
on Thursday to hand over power to a seven-party alliance as
a significant one, and added that it was eventually for the
people of Nepal to decide how to get the process of their
democratic rights restored. He reiterated India's commitment
to assist the people of Nepal in their hour of need and to
help the nation achieve political stability and economic recovery
as early as possible. Saran's briefing to the media came hours
after four persons were killed by Nepalese security forces
near Kathmandu.
India
offers assistance to crisis-hit Nepal
New
Delhi: Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma
has said that India is ready to provide all possible assistance
to Nepal to ensure that it achieves political and economic
stability at the earliest. In a statement issued soon after
King Gyanendra's announcement of handing over power back to
the seven-party political alliance, Sharma said that the people
of Nepal have "undergone acute suffering and economic hardship
during the last several months, but have always kept their
faith with democracy and freedom. They deserve our respect
and admiration." "We sincerely hope that the aspirations of
the people of Nepal can now be addressed by enabling them
to enjoy their rights through a democratic electoral exercise
free from the threat of violence," the Minister added. He
said that the King's reaffirmation for multi-party democracy
and a constitutional monarchy, should now pave the way for
the restoration of political stability and economic recovery
of the kingdom.