US rejects Nepal King's timetable on democracy

Disapproving the "lengthy" three-year time table set by King Gyanendra for restoring multi-party democracy in Nepal, the United States has urged him to "move quickly" towards starting a dialogue with political parties.

"We don''t accept a lengthy timetable. We think that the King needs to move quickly to reinstate and protect civil and human rights, to release those who are detained under the state of emergency, and to begin a dialogue with the political parties intended to restore multi-party democratic institutions under a constitutional monarchy," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said on Friday.

Pointing out that the majority of US assistance to Nepal goes to promoting economic development, he said, "we''re looking carefully at our programmes to determine which ones would best achieve the objective of restoring democracy but also preventing a Maoist takeover."

At this point we''re still looking at our options on security assistance. We certainly remain disturbed by the lack of progress on detainees and restoring fundamental rights," he added.

Boucher said the US was in constant touch with India and Britain about the situation in the Himalayan Kingdom.

"Any number of countries have expressed the same kinds of concerns as we have," said Boucher and added "they have moved diplomatically. And we do know that some of them have already made decisions on cutting off military assistance."

The US had already made clear its concerns about the reported arrests and the status of opposition leaders, he said.

He further said that Ambassador to Nepal James Moriarty was back in Kathmandu after briefing the authorities about the situation there.

we in the USA should be far more concerned with preventing a new Cambodian style Maoist holocaust occurring in Nepal , than being worried if newspapers are free to print whatever they want for a while. They were being coerced and blackmailed into becoming mouthpieces for every new Maoist edict anyway .

If ,while being pissy about every little aspect of Democracy not being adhered to in Nepal , we let it fall to the fathomless pit of becoming a Communist state we should hang our heads in abject shame....

a good and trusted friend ,who knows Nepal and Nepalese very well , having many years of association with both recently wrote me this upon exiting the country

re: Nepal-the international community seems determined to
isolate the King in the name of a totally dysfuntional
democracy. How reassuring to the people of Nepal that
they have the democratic right to die while
politicians indulge in bickering and infighting
ensuring the moabaadis(Nepalese Maoist's)
continued growth and power.
This macabre dance has been going on for years. How
can the int'l community ignore the facts? Could it be
the globally fashionable push for democracy?
How can world leaders fight terrorism and ignore the
Maobaadis and their actitivities which are totally
removed from democracy.
Will the King fold, surrender to foreign pressure,
turn control of the Army to whomever wins an election
held in a country 90% controlled by a gang of
murderous thugs while the int'l community sings hymns
of democratic praise?
I beleive the King will direct the Army to begin
attacking the Maobaadis before the rains start
concentrating on the south east putting pressure on
their border activities and opening the highways.
While it rains in the east it is dry in the west where
the army has its work cut out. I beleive the army must
somehow isolate western Nepal from India and Nepal.
The Maobaadis are better equiped here and are well
prepared to meet any ground attacks. The army can use
its air advantage effectively if they can develop some
reliable intelligence sources.
I have read letters to the editor in the Nepali Times
suggesting that many Ghurkas would return to Nepal to
support Nepal in these critical times. I don't imagine
the army wants experienced soldiers involved as the
truth of the state of the armed forces would be
revealed immediately.
Kathmandu as you know is an island in a sea of
revolution. Can the Maobaadis capitalize on the int'l
pressure on the King? I don't think so, but if the
King waffles and doesn't decisively lead his teetering
kingdom forward and fast(inside 6 months) his subjects
will abandon him and the Maobaadis will win eventually
by default.
What kind of fool beleives there will be free and fair
elections in a countryside controlled by the
Maoabaadis?
I hope George Bush gets an accurate briefing from your
Ambassador to Nepal who has been re-called to
Washington.
The clock is ticking and to me it doesn't look good.

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