Karan Singh returns from Nepal

New Delhi, Apr 20 (UNI) Nepal's King Gyanendra is expected to make an announcement shortly to defuse the current crisis in the country while India conveyed to him deep concern over the breakdown of law and order machinery and underlined the need for immediate restoration of multi-party democracy.

Dr Karan Singh, Special Envoy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who met the Nepal King for two hours at Narayanhity Palace in Kathmandu earlier today, told reporters on his arrival here that he had also handed over a letter from the Prime Minister to the Nepal King.

Dr Karan Singh said he had conveyed to the King India's deep concern over the difficulties, political and others, that the people were facing.

''We told the King that we are deeply concerned about the difficulties, political and economic, that the people are facing and the general breakdown of law and order...The ball is in his (the King's) court now,'' Dr Singh said.

He said the King, as the Head of State, had to play a positive role.

He, however, declined to give details of his meeting with the King but described it as a ''positive meeting.'' ''It was a positive meeting and his (the King's) attitude was very good,'' Dr Karan Singh said.

Dr Singh, who was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, will brief the Prime Minister about his meeting with the Nepal monarch.

Editors: Pick up suitably from earlier series.

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