Saturday, February 12 2005 13:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: With India, Britain and the US coordinating moves for restoration of democracy in Nepal, Washington has done some tough talking on the need for immediate resumption of the democratic process, cautioning that its assistance to the Himalayan kingdom was "at risk" if there was no movement forward in this area.

As large and established democracies, the three countries are said to be coordinating their efforts to see how quickly restoration of democratic process could be achieved in Nepal, suspended since King Gyanendra seized power on February 1.

"I think we have made no secret that there is pressure on our assistance right now, and that's undeniable. That pressure will only increase, if we don't see movement in those areas," US Ambassador to Nepal, James F Moriarty, said in Kathmandu on the sidelines of a function.

Asked whether aid to Nepal would be cut, he said, "I think there are risks. However, humanitarian aid would go unhindered," a stand New Delhi has also taken.

The US envoy said his Government believed that the King would move toward restoring the democratic process and release all political detainees within 100 days, the timeframe indicated by the King, who has been saying that he needed three months time to "straighten" the situation.

Expressing concern over the situation in Nepal, Moriarty said that the Maoists should also come to the negotiating table for resolving issues with the Government.

The open voicing of concerns by the US comes on top of moves by New Delhi, Washington and London to pursue a joint strategy to see how democracy could be brought back in the Himalayan Kingdom.