Speaking at a function held at the Embassy of India grounds today to hand over to Government of Nepal and the United Nations supplies such as vehicles, communication equipment, food material, tents and generators provided by the Government of India to support the ongoing peace process in Nepal, Ambassador of India Mr. Shiv Shankar Mukherjee said that the supplies represent India's total commitment to the peace process and to supporting in every possible way the progress towards the objective of holding free and fair elections to the Constituent Assembly, in accordance with the roadmap decided by the people of Nepal and their leaders. Reiterating the government of India's political, diplomatic, moral and material support to the peace process, the Ambassador pointed out that significant milestones in the peace process were reached in the past few months inspite of major difficulties, and expressed the confidence that the remaining distance will also be travelled successfully. He stressed that it was the position of the Government of India that it was fundamentally important for the Constituent Assembly elections to be held as scheduled.
Ambassador stressed that violence was not the way to build a new Nepal and was contrary to the objectives set by the people of Nepal through their peaceful Janaandolan. Stating that there had been violence in Terai and disruptions and delay in the peace process recently, he said that solutions to all issues should be found through discussions and in a peaceful manner. He added that there was no reason why this could not be done, especially in view of what the people of Nepal had demonstrated in the past few months.
Speaking in Hindi, Home Minister HE Mr. K.P. Sitaula thanked the government and people of India for their positive support and extensive cooperation in the democratic movement and peace process in Nepal. Stating that Nepal expected cooperation from friendly India and other friendly countries at this crucial juncture in its history, the Home Minister expressed the hope that the cooperation from India, which had been the biggest positive, would be further expanded and strengthened. Pointing out that the Parliament had recently adopted a serious resolution in the context of the centuries-old issue of democracy and for ending feudalistic mentality, he requested and hoped for India's political support.
The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Nepal HE Mr. Ian Martin thanked the Government of India for meeting some of the key requirements of the UN Mission in Nepal. He said that generous assistance from all quarters had helped and would help the UN Mission to carry out its responsibilities in Nepal. Thanking the Government of Nepal also for their cooperation, Mr. Martin observed that in his career he had not come across such positive and friendly dealings not only with the host country but with also a supporting state as he found in the given instance.
|