Shyam Saran: Good evening to all of you. I thought it might be useful for me to just share with you our current assessment of the developments taking place in Nepal.
As you know, the situation has been evolving at a rather rapid rate. We would like to clarify for you how we look at the situation and also what has been our engagement with Nepal concerning these recent developments. Let me begin by drawing your attention to the fact that India has all along supported the restoration of multi-party democracy in Nepal and we have consistently supported the democratic forces.
You will recall that when on February 1, 2005, a state of emergency was declared and the then civilian Government was dismissed by His Majesty the King, we had condemned that action. You would recall that we had also taken the step of suspending arms supplies to Nepal. This was an expression of our support for the restoration of democracy. Since then, all these last several months, we have been very consistent in our support and the arms suspension has remained in force. Our consistent approach has been to try and persuade the constitutional forces in Nepal to work together in order to restore democracy, in order to bring about political stability as well as economic recovery in the country.
We have always felt that political power should be exercised by the representatives of the people, and it is for them to really decide what the future of Nepal is going to be. But we as a close neighbour of Nepal, as a country which has very very intimate cultural and ethnic links with this country, it has always been our wish to seek peace and prosperity in Nepal because stability in Nepal is in the best interests of India. We have also believed that democracy in Nepal is the best guarantee of such stability.
It is in pursuit of this approach that when the situation in recent weeks started deteriorating, the Prime Minister decided to send a Special Envoy, a very experienced political personage Dr. Karan Singh to Nepal. I was present with Dr. Karan Singh in Kathmandu a couple of days ago. We had meetings with the political party leaders. We conveyed to them our continuing support to the democratic aspirations of the people of Nepal. We also conveyed our admiration for the fact that the Seven Party Alliance had stood together united. We also expressed our appreciation and our admiration for the manner in which they had led the political movement for the restoration of democracy in Nepal. Our message when Dr. Karan Singh met His Majesty the King was to share with him our assessment of the situation, the groundswell of public opinion, groundswell of popular emotion in favour of the restoration of democracy. We asked His Majesty the King to take stock of the seriousness of the situation and take appropriate measures, make the appropriate gestures in order to ensure the restoration of multiparty democracy and to respond to the sentiments of the people.
In that context, I would like to mention that yesterday you would have seen the press statement which was made by our Spokesman on the proclamation made by His Majesty the King. The one aspect which we thought was very important was the aspect of the intention of His Majesty the King to transfer all executive authority to a Government which would be formed by the Seven Party Alliance under a leader of its own choosing. Having said that we of course realize that it is really up to the people of Nepal to decide in what manner this is to be brought about. We do not wish to be in a position to prescribe for Nepal, and to prescribe for the people of Nepal in what manner they would go about realizing their democratic aspirations.
We have stood by the people of Nepal in their movement for realizing their democratic aspirations. Yesterday you would have seen in our press release that we also stated that the people of Nepal deserve our respect and admiration for the manner in which through peaceful demonstrations they have given expression to their desire for multiparty democracy. That admiration is very much an expression also of the very close affinity that we feel for the people of Nepal. We have also pointed out in the statement that we are very conscious of the great hardship that the people of Nepal have been facing as a result of prolonged economic and political turmoil. We have also expressed our intention that in the task of restoring political stability and economic recovery, India would stand ready as always to extend all possible assistance and support to Nepal.
I would like draw attention to the fact that this morning there have been some reports that there was some dissatisfaction in certain quarters about India’s stand and I think there was a misrepresentation of India’s stand by some elements who are perhaps hostile to the very close and friendly relations between India and Nepal. I would like to state here that these kind of sentiments which are being spread amongst people have absolutely no basis. There is no doubt of India’s commitment to democracy in Nepal and to our support for the democratic forces in Nepal. I think this message should go very loud and clear to the people of Nepal.
I would like to mention that we have seen the press release issued by the alliance of the seven political parties today. They have had a high-level meeting of the alliance in the afternoon today. The press release has reiterated the agenda of the Seven Party Alliance. We, of course, support the view of the Alliance that restoration of peace and multiparty democracy in Nepal is the need of the hour. The Alliance of course has been in the forefront, as I said, of the peaceful movement for the restoration of multiparty democracy in Nepal. They have given expression to the aspirations of the people of Nepal for democratic values and freedom and we believe that the sentiments of the people of Nepal need to be respected.
We are very concerned about the situation in Nepal and we believe that there should be a constant review of the manner in which these developments continue in the coming days because we also believe that the economic situation in the country is deteriorating very rapidly. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that for the last several days there has been a long line of cargo vehicles and tankers which have been backed up on the Indian side of the border. It is our effort to see that as soon as conditions permit we would try and facilitate as much as possible the movement of cargo of essential commodities from the Indian side into Nepal because the shortages that are now beginning to appear in places like Kathmandu or in Pokhra, this would only increase the economic hardship that the people of Nepal are suffering. And it is always going to be our endeavour that our brothers and sisters in Nepal do not suffer because of the possible disruption of the supply of essential goods. So, even though because of the conditions in Nepal the cargo vehicles have been lined up on the Indian side we are trying our very best to see how we can facilitate the movement of essential goods so that the situation is not further exacerbated.
I think I will stop here. I would be very happy to take any questions from you.
Question: Kal jo Raja ne kaha, kuchh dinon pehle bhi unhone kuchh aise hi ailan kiye the jab kaha gaya tha … Saaf taur par farq kya nazar aaya? Unhone basically jo pehle kaha tha usiko ek naye bottle mein pesh karne ki koshish ki. Kuchh to saaf nahin kaha … chunav kab kiye jane hain. Doosra sawal, Narayanhiti palace se kya sanket mile hain? Kya unhone Bharat ke kadamon ki sarahna ki hai ya ise hastakshep ke taur par dekhahai?