By DPA
Kathmandu : Nepal’s main donors Friday expressed concern over the postponement of a key November election after disagreement over the Maoist demands for immediate abolition of the monarchy.
The European Union said it was deeply concerned while the US said it was disappointed by the government’s decision to postpone the Nov 22 election of an assembly to draft a new constitution and decide on the future of monarchy.
“EU Heads of Mission are deeply disappointed that elections will not take place as scheduled,” a EU press release said. “But this is a new phase and critical opportunity in Nepal’s peace process.”
The 27-member bloc said it was ready to support the new phase and remains willing to continue to help move the peace process forward and suggested a roadmap for a credible election that includes re-establishing public security and delivering on past agreements.
The US in a statement, through its embassy in Kathmandu, said it was “disappointed” by the postponement, which hampered the Nepalese people’s right to elect representatives.
“The people of Nepal have been denied a timely opportunity to elect representatives to decide the framework for the future Government of Nepal,” the statement said.
It also urged the government to immediately address key elements of the peace agreement with the former rebels that remain unfulfilled.
The government earlier Friday postponed the elections after six parties and the Maoists failed to agree on the former rebel’s demands to immediately abolish the monarchy and hold the elections under the full proportional representation system.
The deadlock arose after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s Nepali Congress rejected both demands.