India extends full support to Nepal

[Guest guest]

India extends full support to Nepal

 

DH News Service

NEW DELHI, June 5

 

 

In its first substantive reaction to the events in Nepal following

the massacre of the royal family, India today said it would continue

to extend its fullest support and cooperation to the Himalayan

kingdom for its peaceful progress and development.

India is looking forward to strengthening and intensifying mutually

beneficial cooperation between the two neighbours, President K R

Narayanan and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee told Nepal's new

king Gyanendra and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in two

separate messages.

 

"I would like to express the solidarity of India, as a close friend

of Nepal, in your effort to put behind you this national tragedy and

to lead the people of Nepal in their continuing endeavours for stable

socio-economic development," Mr Narayanan said in his message

expressing his condolences to the royal family."May Lord

Pashupatinath give you the courage and strength to bear this enormous

personal loss and national grief," Mr Narayanan told the new King in

his message.

 

"In this hour of national sorrow, India and its people are with the

kingdom of Nepal and its citizens .... We are confident that the

innate courage and resilience of the Nepalese people will enable them

to bear this great loss and to continue their journey on the path

towards peaceful progress and development," Mr Vajpayee said in his

message to Mr Koirala. India will continue to extend its "fullest

support and cooperation" in this process, he said.Recalling his

interaction with King Birendra as the chief guest of the Republic Day

celebrations in 1999, he said, "We in India particularly recall his

invaluable role in strengthening the close ties of friendship and

mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries."He said

the late King would be remembered by future generations for his

contribution towards the progress and socio-economic uplift of

Nepal.Meanwhile, Home Minister L K Advani said in the capital that

India was ready to assist Nepal in all manner to help it come out of

the present crisis. "Government has already conveyed to Nepal that we

are willing to assist in any manner," he told reporters.

Terming the massacre of the royal family as "a tragedy of

extraordinary kind", he said Mr Vajpayee was in constant touch with

Mr Koirala about the unfolding events.