By IANS
New Delhi : India Monday cautiously welcomed the agreement among top leaders of Nepal’s Seven Party Alliance that ends months of political deadlock and paves the way for Constituent Assembly elections by mid April next year.
In a delicate balancing act, New Delhi said that it was up to the people of Nepal to elect a Constituent Assembly (CA) in a free, fair and fearless manner and offered its assistance to spur Nepal’s “transition to a democratic, stable, peaceful and prosperous state.”
“We have learnt of the 23 point agreement reached among the seven parties to hold Constituent Assembly elections by mid-April 2008. This is an encouraging development in the right direction,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna said in response to a question on the new agreement that ends months of political deadlock in Nepal.
Significantly, the Indian official did not comment on the abolition of monarchy following the CA elections that’s the centrepiece of the agreement among seven political parties to remove King Gyanendra from the constitution and declare Nepal a federal, democratic republic.
“The exercise of the people’s right to elect a Constituent Assembly in a free, fair and fearless manner is the best way to enable the people of Nepal to choose their own future,” he said.
“We hope that all concerned will work towards maintaining the new deadline for CA elections,” he said.
“As always, India stands ready to assist in every possible way, Nepal’s transition to a democratic, stable, peaceful and prosperous state,” he added.
The pact has paved the way for the Maoists rejoining the government within 48 hours after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala conceded their key demand for an immediate end to Nepal’s two-century-old monarchy.