Monday, June 6 2005 19:16 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India today (Jun 6, 2005) said that the issue of arms supply to Nepal would remain under constant review, as former Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala met Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi.

The Nepali Congress (NC) president, heading a seven-party alliance against the royal takeover in the kingdom, was closeted with Mukherjee for about 45 minutes during which he is believed to have apprised the Minister about the latest ground situation in his country and urged that arms supply should not be resumed.

Mukherjee reiterated India's consistent stand that to deal with the political and economic challenges which Nepal faces, it was imperative that the political parties and the monarchy work together to evolve a broad national consensus, an official spokesman said.

On the issue of arms supply, the Defence Minister conveyed that the matter would remain under constant review, he said.

Koirala, who arrived in New Delhi on Saturday (Jun 4, 2005), is understood to have thanked India for its support to the movement for restoration of multi-party democracy and impressed upon him that the pressure be maintained on King Gyanendra.

The 82-year-old Nepali leader, who spent two months under house arrest after royal takeover on February 1, is against India resuming military supplies to his country till democracy was restored and is understood to have conveyed this to Mukherjee, sources said.

India partially resumed Defence supplies to Nepal on May 10, nearly three months after freezing it, and had hoped "further and early' steps would be taken by the King towards the restoration of multi-party democracy in that country.

The Indian decision came nearly two weeks after Gyanendra lifted emergency and released several political party leaders and activists.

Mukherjee conveyed India's appreciation over the role Koirala has played in bringing together the seven mainstream parties on an agreed platform, which could be the basis for a dialogue on an eventual political settlement based on multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy.

Soon after his release, Koirala had vowed to mobilise all political forces to launch a widespread agitation against Gyanendra's seizure of power.

With a pledge to intensify the fight for full-fledged democracy, a seven-party alliance headed by him was formed.

Koirala, who is in New Delhi for a medical check-up, is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and other Indian leaders.

Earlier in the day, Koirala underwent a medical check-up at the Apollo Hospital in New Delhi.

Koirala has been suffering from acute bronchitis and weakness for some weeks, his nephew Shekhar Koirala told in New Delhi.

Doctors at the hospital examined him and conducted some tests, Shekhar Koirala said, adding the reports would be available in a day or two.