The visiting British Foreign Office minister Dr. Kim Howells has said that the “viable interim arrangement including effective arms management that can be monitored by the United Nations” is “precondition” for holding “free, fair and inclusive elections to the Constituent Assembly.”

Addressing a press meet in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Dr. Howells said, “It is in our interest to clear the way to free, fair and inclusive elections to the Constituent Assembly in 2007.”

“Peace process cannot be successful unless the Maoists enter the Constituent Assembly as a peaceful, democratic party,” he said.

Expressing hope for the success of Nepal’s peace process, Dr. Howells reminded that peace processes are always “very complicated” anywhere in the world.

The British minister said that the government can help to build confidence by focusing on “effective implementation of decision reached at political level.” He added that “many issues currently under discussion can be left for democratically elected Constituent Assembly to agree on.”