The Tide Might Be Turning

Just look at this. I am giving King G a few more weeks.

With India, US, and UK united, China is not going to even think of meddling. So India does not have to worry about "balancing it out" with China. Another evidence Gyanendra trying to repeat the Mahendra use of the China card is obsolete, out of date by about 45 years.

And the US and UK want India to play the lead. So it boils down to India. And India has made it very clear where it stands. Bring back press freedom, release all political prisoners, restore basic rights.

The king kicked the Nepali people out of the equation totally. Now it looks like his entire gameplan rested on international support. This guy is so far away from reality, it is not even funny. His plan has backfired in ways he can not even begin to fathom.

And look at this Ramesh Nath Pandey guy. He actually would like India and the US to believe that there is only one force standing between the Maoist takeover of India, and possibly even the US, and that force is the king, and so India and the US should support the king, for their own good. This has got to be the Mount K2 of delusion.

What these Monarchist autocrats are failing to see, among many things, is that India is an emerging global superepower, on par with the US and UK. And Indian opinion matters. It matters a lot on the question of democracy in Nepal. It matters totally.

If the king will not on his own go for an all-party government that includes the Maoists and a Constituent Assembly, then India should step in and facilitate that. If the monarchy is to survive, let it do so through a fresh mandate from the people.

King G reminds me of Trent Lott. Lott made a racist comment, and lost his job, but he never came around to seeing he had made a racist comment. He just did never "get" it. King G does not "get" it.

• India says halts military aid to Nepal Reuters India, India ......urging the king to restore democracy, release political leaders and lift curbs on the media ..... "As of now, many aspects of our bilateral relations are being re-assessed and reviewed. ..... restore democracy, free politicians and lift media curbs. .....
  
• Britain suspends military aid to Nepal Reuters AlertNet .....The 1.3 million pound ($2.5 million) package of non-lethal equipment announced in January includes vehicles, night flying and communications improvements and bomb disposal equipment...... "We are now considering with key international partners what our longer term policy for providing assistance to Nepal should be
  
• India freezes military assistance to Nepal Hindustan Times, India .....arms and ammunition, helicopters, armoured vehicles, bullet proof-vests and helmets, besides military training to its soldiers.....India, one of the major providers of military assistance to Nepal, gives assistance at a 70 per cent subsidy. In the last five years, India's military assistance has been worth nearly Rs 3 billion (nearly $70 million)...... New Delhi is closely monitoring the situation in Nepal and reviewing and reassessing it almost on a daily basis ..... demand for the release of detained political leaders and members of civil society, restoration of civil and media rights and restoring multiparty democracy ..... The decision will come as a blow for the RNA and the new government that had been hoping for continuation of Indian military aid on the ground that it was needed to fight the Maoist insurgency, that is also a threat to Indian security as well as entire South Asia. ..... The envoys of India, the US and the UK are said to be in close consultation and the Indian decision is likely to affect the British and American decisions. In the wake of the royal takeover, the British government issued a statement saying it was reviewing development and security assistance to Nepal.
• India ends military aid to Nepal BBC News
• India asks Nepal to lift press curbs Newindpress .....Nepal has not received any military assistance from the donor countries after the February one royal takeover...... "We have expressed our grave concern over discriminately targeting Indian joint venture establishments, including the UTL (wireless telephone service), which has been restricted to operate its service since February 1 royal coup," ..... India has joined countries including the UK, USA and EU member states in urging the king to reinstate multiparty democracy, restore fundamental rights and release all political activists, saying their economic assistance and military aid will depend on Nepal's response.
  
• Nepal foreign minister sure of international support:New Kerala, India .....Nepalese Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey is confident the new royalist government will ride the present crisis with return of international support ..... "The king has said it is the obligation of all political parties, the intelligentsia and members of civil society to work unitedly to protect multiparty democracy from the threat of terrorism...... He said at stake was not only Nepal's peace and security but the "future of the entire region and eventually the world". ..... "The king has publicly appealed to the Maoists to join mainstream politics. His condition is that the meeting point should be patriotism...... "In case of a civil, war, no one will win
• Indo-Nepal ties a story of wasted chances: Minister (INTERVIEW) Indo-Asian News Service
• US wants India to play a "leading role" in Nepal: New Kerala, India ..... The United States wants India to play a "leading role" in facilitating restoration of democracy in Nepal and would support New Delhi's efforts to bring the Government and rebels there to the dialogue table ..... "Our approach is to look to India, which has comprehensive relations with the country, for a supportive role rather than step in. India should play the leading role," ..... The U S and Britain keep the view that India should have the lead position with its comprehensive relations with Nepal ..... The U S has a free-standing bilateral relationship with India based on India's position in the present world.
• India must take the lead on Nepal: US Sify ..... would support New Delhi's efforts to bring the Government and rebels to the dialogue table ..... India should play the leading role ..... "Any effort can be made for Nepal to return to a democratic format," he said, when asked if US will support any Indian offer for mediation between rebels and the Government of Nepal...... "The three countries are the key players. The US and Britain keep the view that India should have the lead position with its comprehensive relations with Nepal."
  
• Britain halts military aid to Nepal Daily Telegraph, Australia
• India concerned about JVs in Nepal Indo-Asian News Service, India
• Swiss projects come to a halt in NepalIndo-Asian News Service, India

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