(Nepal Foreign Affairs, Feb 26) The Indian government has expressed hope that Nepali leaders will continue to work together in constitution-making.
Speaking at the Indian Parliament on the political instability in Nepal, on Tuesday, Indian State Minister for External Affairs, VK Singh said that India’s engagement with Nepal is broad-based. The Indian state minister’s statement came at a time when talks among Nepal’s political parties have been stalled for a month since the parties missed the self-imposed Jan 22 deadline on constitution promulgation.
“We extend our full moral and material support to Nepal in its transition to a constitutional federal democratic republic and a prosperous economy,” the state minister said adding, ” It is our expectation that Nepalese leaders will continue to work together in the final stage of the peace process, in drawing up a Constitution that honours past understandings as well as the mandate of the elections.”
Despite considerable political progress since the CA election in April 2008, he said adding political consensus on drafting of the Constitution is still awaited.
“More than one year has passed since the convening of the second Constituent Assembly in January 2014. The main issues before the CA include federalism, form of government, electoral system, and structure of the judiciary. Currently the interim Constitution of 2007 is in force,” he said.
The Indian state minister said that India believes in its shared future of our neighbourhood.
“A democratic, stable and a prosperous Nepal is in our mutual interest. At the same the political choices that Nepal makes for itself is its internal matter. We believe that solutions and consensus among Nepalese political parties would come through dialogue among themselves,” said he.