Thursday, May 18 2006 15:59 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: There can be no military solution to problems facing Nepal and the Maoist movement must abandon the path of violence, the Government today said in the Rajya Sabha.

"A lasting solution to challenges facing Nepal has to be found by the people of Nepal themselves through a peaceful political process. There can be no purely military solution to problems facing Nepal," Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said in a written reply.

He said the Maoist movement must abandon the path of violence and accept principles of multi-party democracy thereby creating conditions for joining the political mainstream.

The Minister said the Government was aware of 'threats' to India's security posed by the Maoist insurgency in Nepal and added all necessary measures were being taken to safeguard national security interests.

Noting that New Delhi has maintained a consistent policy towards Nepal, he said the Government has all along been of the view that the challenges facing Nepal can only be addressed through a genuine process of dialogue and reconciliation between constitutional forces of Nepal based on the principle of multi-party democracy.