October 5, 2007
India Expresses Disappointment
Over Deferment of Nepal Poll
New Delhi/Kathmandu
India Friday expressed disappointment over the indefinite
postponement of the November elections in Nepal, stating that the
frequent deferment of poll "erodes credibility" and affects the
process of transformation to democracy.
"We are disappointed at the postponement of the elections in Nepal,
which has occurred for the third time," said external affairs
ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna in a statement issued Friday
evening. He stressed that the "repeated postponement of elections
erodes credibility and affects the process of democratic
transformation and legitimization in Nepal".
New Delhi added that it was hoping that the special session of the
Interim Parliament, called on Thursday, would address all relevant
issues democratically "to enable the people of Nepal, who have
sacrificed so much, to choose at the earliest their own future and
the manner of their governance, through a free and fair election
process".
The reaction came soon after India's ambassador to Nepal Shiv
Shankar Mukherjee flew to New Delhi to brief the officials about the
fresh developments.
India's reaction comes two months after Mukherjee's statement that
the Koirala government would lose its legitimacy if it failed to
hold the election on Nov 22.
Last month, when Indian foreign secretary Shiv Shankar Menon visited
Kathmandu and met the top political leaders, he had said all of
them, including the Maoists, were positive about holding the
election in November.
Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the Maoists decided
late Thursday night to defer the scheduled Nov 22 elections yet
again after failing to reach an agreement on two major issues.
A special session of the Interim Parliament has been called for Oct
11 to resolve the contentious issues, including the Maoist demand
for immediate abolition of monarchy without waiting for the polls.
Both the United States and European Union have reacted negatively to
the indefinite delay in the elections.
"The people of Nepal have been denied a timely opportunity to elect
representatives to decide the framework for the future government of
Nepal," the US Embassy in Kathmandu said in a brief statement.
In a joint statement, the EU heads of mission in Kathmandu said
while they were "deeply disappointed" that elections would not take
place as scheduled, realising that it was a critical opportunity in
Nepal's peace process, they were ready to continue their support.
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