Indian leaders are confused over what Nepal really wants from them, a leading newspaper reported Friday.

In his dispatch sent from New Delhi, editor of Kantipur daily, Narayan Wagle, reported that there was confusion within political circles of India regarding the nature of cooperation Nepal was seeking from her.

“During unofficial meetings, Indian leaders have conveyed their message that it would be difficult to identify areas of cooperation unless Nepal clarified that whether it was going to negotiate with the rebels to resolve the problem of insurgency or would go for holding parliamentary elections,” Wagle wrote in his front-page report.

Nepali rebels have said they would not allow the government to hold elections unless it agrees to their core demand of holding elections to the constituent assembly to draft a new constitution. While appointing Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister in June this year, King Gyanendra had asked him, among others, to initiate process to hold stalled parliamentary elections by April next year.

Meanwhile, weekly Bimarsha reported Friday that India had decided to wait for King Gyanendra to visit Delhi before making any major policy decisions. “There was no point in talking with this unstable government,” the weekly quoted an unnamed source at the Indian Foreign Ministry as saying.

There haven’t been any announcement regarding the royal visit to India but reports say the King is likely to visit New Delhi later this year. King Gyanendra had paid a state visit to New Delhi in June 2002.

Analysts say with no functioning parliament and elected government, India sees the King backed by the Royal Nepalese Army as a major force in the Himalayan kingdom.

Indian newspapers have, however, been advising their government recently not to extend all-out support to the Nepalese King but to take initiative to help re-start the stalled democratic process in the country. nepalnews.com by Sep 10 04