Kathmandu: A statement was issued today,April 5, 2004, Monday, by the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs on the situation in Nepal. The text of the statement is reproduced below
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“Government of India strongly condemns the attack on Indian cargo vehicles by CPN (Maoist) insurgents at various places in Nepal in which a number of Indian nationals were shot and seriously wounded and several oil tankers and cargo vehicles were burnt and destroyed. This is a blatant act of terrorism and its perpetrators must be apprehended and punished for their crimes. The Government of India holds the leadership of CPN (Maoists) responsible for these incidents.
The Government of India also requests His Majesty’s Government of Nepal to provide full security for Indian personnel and property in Nepal. The Government of India is already working together with the authorities in Nepal to confront the challenge of terrorism through mutual cooperation. Such incidents, far from deterring such cooperation, will only lead to redoubled efforts on the part of both countries to overcome the danger which such terrorism poses to the security of both our neighbouring countries.
Nepal faces an unprecedented crisis, the solution of which demands mutual understanding and cooperation between all the constitutional forces in the country in particular between the institution of Constitutional Monarchy and the political parties. As a close and friendly neighbour of Nepal sharing an open border, India would urge that, in recognising the seriousness of the current crisis, both Constitutional Monarchy as well as the political parties demonstrate flexibility and forge a national consensus to deal with this situation with the urgency it deserves. India will, as always, extend its full support to the people of Nepal in their hour of need.”