King's announcement step in right direction: Manmohan

On board PM's Special AI Aircraft, Apr 22 (UNI) Terming Nepal King Gyanendra's announcement as a step in the right direction, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asserted that India would do everything to prevent Nepal from becoming a failed state as New Delhi indicated that it would consider resuming arms supplies to the Himalayan Kingdom once a democratically elected government was again in place.

" We will help Nepal recover from its difficult situation," Dr Singh said.

Elaborating on Dr Singh's views, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan said India could consider the resumption of arms supplies to Nepal, which was suspended after the King dislodged the Sher Bahadur Deuba government and imposed emergency on February 1 last year, if the Royal Nepal Army desired so for ensuring peace and security once a democratic government was installed.

Dr Singh said India's role in Nepal was to ensure that all elements of its polity were talking to each other.

''We are not dictating anything to them. Our role is that of a conciliator to ensure that the democratic process is restored,'' he said.

Dr Singh said there was no change in India's position on Nepal that the Constitutional Monarchy and Multi-party democracy were the two pillars of Nepalese polity.

The Prime Minister said Dr Karan Singh had visited Nepal earlier this week as his special envoy and gave the King his assessment of the situation in the Himalayan Kingdom.

''Whatever moves the King has made, they are in the right direction,'' he said.

He said the important thing was that there should be restoration of multi-party democracy. There should be a government in place which exercises all executive powers.

UNI