Saturday, December 31 2005 14:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shanker Mukherjee discussed the present political situation in the kingdom, including the seven-party agitation against King Gyanendra's direct rule and the Maoist problem, with former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and another veteran politician Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Mukherjee called on Koirala, the President of Nepali Congress party, at his residence in Maharajgunj yesterday (Dec 30,2005), party sources said.

He met Nepal, the General Secretary of Communist Party of Nepal(CPN) United Marxist Leninist (UML), at the party office at Balkhu in Kathmandu, they said.

He discussed with the two Nepalese leaders present political situation in the kingdom, including the Maoist problem and agitation by the alliance of seven opposition parties which oppose the King's assumption of absolute power and are demanding restoration of democracy, they said.

CPN-UML General Secretary Nepal briefed Mukherjee about the Royal government's 'hostile' attitude towards peace and 'suppression' of democratic forces, according to Yadav Sharma, Personal Secretary to Nepal.

Nepal also met acting Ambassador of the US Embassy Elizabeth I Millard and discussed the current political situation and the pro-democracy movement, he said.

They shared common views regarding the futility of elections in this situation, the Government's 'confrontationist' attitude and its 'non-cooperation' to the peace initiatives taken by the seven party alliance, he said.