UK congratulates Nepal for peaceful polls

The United Kingdom (UK) has congratulated Nepal for holding "largely peaceful" election.

"This was an important day in the history of Nepal," British Foreign secretary David Miliband said in a statement Saturday.

"While I was saddened by the instances of violence and misconduct that occurred, the Election Commission's reports of a strong voter turnout are encouraging, as are the positive assessments of the conduct of the polls made by the EU and other observer missions," Miliband said

He further said that the International observers will continue to monitor the process during the period in which the votes are counted and results announced, while insisting that during this period, and as the Constituent Assembly (CA) is formed, "it is important that the political parties respect the will of the people and use agreed mechanisms to resolve any disputes."

"The UK urges them to work together to tackle the critical political and socio-economic issues facing Nepal, so that the people of Nepal can be confident that the future will be peaceful and prosperous. The UK stands ready to assist in building the new Nepal," he added. nepalnews.com ag Apr 13 08