India will help Nepal's transition to a democracy: Menon

Kathmandu, Sep 16 (UNI) Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon today said India will help Nepal in its present transition to a democracy.

''India will support and assist the transition to a democratic, inclusive state,'' Mr Menon said at the end of two-day visit of the Himalayan nation.

''India has consistently believed that these elections will allow the people of Nepal to choose the manner in which they wish their country to be governed by giving themselves a new constitution,'' he added.

Replying to a question regarding the declaration of republic before the election, he said declaring a republic ahead of the Constituent Assembly elections was an internal matter of the mountainous nation.

India could not give its decision on the issue as it was an internal issue of Nepal, he said.

The elections would be held as scheduled on November 22 as he found the leaders unanimous when it came to holding of the elections on time.

Mr Menon met Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan, leaders of various political parties and officials of the Election Commission.

UNI