HM King to continue his direct rule, calls upon all to join elections (9:56 a.m.) 
His Majesty King Gyanendra has refused to give up his year-old direct rule of the country as demanded by the seven-party opposition alliance and has reiterated that elections will be conducted to all representative bodies in the country by the end of 2063 B. S. (mid-April 2007).
In his address to the nation Wednesday morning, King Gyanendra said there has been significant improvement in the security and governance situation in the country over the last year.
“Arresting a situation that was slipping into anarchy and reactivating a stalled democratic process has not been easy. Yet, given the commitment of our patriotic countrymen, all the Nepalese people have experienced the nation grow in confidence and the self-respect of the Nepalese people restored within a short span of one year, with the cloud of pessimism dissipating,” His Majesty said.
In his 23-minute long address, that was aired over the state-run Radio Nepal and Nepal Television this morning, King Gyanendra said, “We are confident that a road-map of consensus will forever end all possibilities of resurgence of violence and terrorism in our motherland, which will otherwise put at risk the universally acclaimed multiparty democracy and hurt the self-respect of Nepal and the Nepalese people. “
Guided by a national perspective that upholds our political, administrative and civic traditions, we are confident that by April 2007, all popularly elected bodies will be active in ensuring a bright future for the Nepalese people through a dedicated exercise in democracy so as to create a welfare society, His Majesty said.
“The nefarious designs to portray Nepal as a failed state a year back have now begun to unravel with acts of terrorism being limited to petty crimes. The elected government not only dissolved the popularly elected village, municipal and district bodies but also at the national level. The process of activating multiparty democracy and Constitutional Monarchy has now begun with the people exercising their franchise to reinstate these bodies for which the elected government had failed to conduct elections in spite of being given repeated opportunities. The people are determined to ensure the success of the municipal elections currently underway,” King Gyanendra said.
His Majesty further said in fact, the freedom to exercise one's vote through adult franchise forms the democratic basis for a honourable national consensus. Democracy flourishes only through the enfranchisement of the people and democrats are never losers when democracy is upheld, he added.
“As the bureaucracy has been freed of political pressures and discipline instilled among them, criminal activities under political patronage is now under control. The ongoing fiscal and administrative reforms will be implemented in a more effective manner,” His Majesty added.
His Majesty further said Nepal has malice towards none and is ever alert in ensuring that her territory is not used against any friendly country. “Nepal is ever ready to have mutually beneficial fruitful relations with both her neighbours. This policy remains unchanged. To act as a catalyst in enhancing economic ties between her two neighbours, Nepal is preparing to be the transit point between them,” he added.
“If those who have gone astray wish to rejoin the mainstream of peace and creativity, democracy and coordination, and if they wish to dedicate themselves in the service of the people through the ballot, abjuring their murderous acts against the nation and people, we make it clear that they will be given the security and opportunity necessary to shoulder the responsibilities of governance in their capacity as the people's representatives, having won the people's confidence through the universally accepted democratic exercise,” His Majesty said.
Saying that patriotism is the only means of creating a democratic society, His Majesty King has called upon all Nepalis to consign mutual recrimination to what he called the bitter past and build a secure and prosperous future for the nation and people, while upholding democratic norms. nepalnews.com by Feb 01 06
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