From Nepalnews.com :
US, India call for early restoration of democracy in Nepal
In what is seen as an important development, the governments of USA and India have said they are in "complete agreement" that nothing short of full and early restoration of multiparty democracy in Nepal would satisfy them.
Addressing a joint press conference at the end of two rounds of talks in the Indian capital Wednesday, visiting US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, and her Indian counterpart, K Natwar Singh, indicated that the two countries would continue to act in tandem on Nepal, according to reports.
Hindustan Times, a leading Indian daily, quoted (Indian) officials as saying that the situation in Nepal following the royal move of Feb 1 figured prominently in the delegation-level talks between Dr. Rice and Singh at Hyderabad House.
Rice spoke about the "challenge to democracy" in Nepal and noted that the US and Indian envoys in Kathmandu have shown "outstanding cooperation" in a bid to "try and get that country to get back to multiparty democracy.
"That must happen and we are in complete agreement that it needs to happen very, very soon," she said.
She said US-India cooperation on Nepal showed that both countries have "regional responsibilities, also increasingly global responsibilities."
Said Singh: "On Nepal, we agreed that the recent events have been a setback to these goals. Democratic freedoms must be restored and reconciliation with the political parties must lead to a return to multiparty democracy."
The statements by Rice and Singh came even as India's Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee was called back to New Delhi for consultationsfor the second time in less than a month-- coinciding with the US official's visit.
Mukherjee met Nepalese Finance Minister Madhukar Shumshere J.B. Rana in Kathmandu on Tuesday, the news report said. nepalnews.com by Mar. 16 05
US, India call for early restoration of democracy in Nepal
In what is seen as an important development, the governments of USA and India have said they are in "complete agreement" that nothing short of full and early restoration of multiparty democracy in Nepal would satisfy them.
Addressing a joint press conference at the end of two rounds of talks in the Indian capital Wednesday, visiting US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, and her Indian counterpart, K Natwar Singh, indicated that the two countries would continue to act in tandem on Nepal, according to reports.
Hindustan Times, a leading Indian daily, quoted (Indian) officials as saying that the situation in Nepal following the royal move of Feb 1 figured prominently in the delegation-level talks between Dr. Rice and Singh at Hyderabad House.
Rice spoke about the "challenge to democracy" in Nepal and noted that the US and Indian envoys in Kathmandu have shown "outstanding cooperation" in a bid to "try and get that country to get back to multiparty democracy.
"That must happen and we are in complete agreement that it needs to happen very, very soon," she said.
She said US-India cooperation on Nepal showed that both countries have "regional responsibilities, also increasingly global responsibilities."
Said Singh: "On Nepal, we agreed that the recent events have been a setback to these goals. Democratic freedoms must be restored and reconciliation with the political parties must lead to a return to multiparty democracy."
The statements by Rice and Singh came even as India's Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee was called back to New Delhi for consultationsfor the second time in less than a month-- coinciding with the US official's visit.
Mukherjee met Nepalese Finance Minister Madhukar Shumshere J.B. Rana in Kathmandu on Tuesday, the news report said. nepalnews.com by Mar. 16 05
