International community in doubt over elections in Nepal: Minister

Kathmandu, Oct 13 (UNI) Nepal Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan today said the international community doubts if the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections will ever take place in the Himalayan nation.

She said due to the postponement of the November 22 Constituent Assembly elections, the international community is now doubtful about the country's polls.

She was talking to reporters at the Tribhuwan International Airport after attending the 62nd General Assembly of the United Nations.

''The international community was extremely disappointed by the postponement of the elections for a second time,'' she added.

The Nepal's Foreign Minister had left for New York 15 days back to attend the UN General Assembly.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has already voiced disappointment at the decision of the government to postpone the CA elections.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson a few days ago, the topmost UN official has strongly urged the seven-party alliance ''to redouble efforts so that outstanding issues can be expeditiously resolved and the election held very soon''.

Last Monday, Foreign Minister Pradhan had told the UN General Assembly's high-level debate that the government was engaged in dialogue with the Maoists to ensure elections on November 22, Kantipur reported.

The United States, India, the European Union and Japan, inter alias, have also expressed disappointed by the decision to suspend the CA elections process.

The US-based organisation monitoring Nepal's election process The Carter Center has also urged the political leadership to reach a reasonable consensus on time on key issues of dispute for early CA elections.

UNI