Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 329 Sun. May 01, 2005  
   
International


India welcomes Nepali king's move but wants more steps


Reacting cautiously to lifting of three-month emergency in Nepal, India yesterday described it as the "first step" towards the restoration of multi-party democracy which still required immediate release of political prisoners and other measures to be taken.

"We, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and myself, had conveyed to King Gyanendra that political processes should be restored, political prisoners should be released, emergency should be lifted and Indian channels should be allowed to be aired and processes should be started which culminate in multi-party elections," External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh told reporters here while commenting on the developments in Nepal.

"This is the first step," he said.

External Affairs Ministry spokesman said India wanted to see release of all political leaders still in custody and the restoration of civil liberties which could open the way for reconciliation between the two constitutional forces.