Isn't this disastrous too????? Armed Maoists can’t go into govt: India By Guna Raj Luitel NEW DELHI, July 4 - Concurring with the US envoy James F. Moriarty's recent remarks, a senior External Affairs Ministry official has called on Maoists to abandon weapons and their military before joining the interim government. "The Maoist will have to be brought into the mainstream… however, they will have to abide by certain things," Pankaj Saran, joint secretary for Nepal and Bhutan at the ministry told a visiting Nepali media delegation Monday at his South Block office. "Without disarmament and decommissioning of arms, we can't see further political development there." "Maoists are not terrorists in India. We welcome the peace process but you can't be in the government with arms and you can't extort money." Significantly, he welcomed the progress made by the Seven Parties Alliance (SPA) and Maoists at Baluwatar on June 16. "If the understanding is not respected, there will be problems," he said, adding that India would respect the verdict of the Nepali people because "India wants to see peace in Nepal." He also urged Maoists not to backtrack from the commitment made during the ongoing peace process. But he also expressed concern over reports of intimidation, extortion and closure of industries in Birgunj. He also said that the commitment made during Premier Girija Prasad Koirala's visit will be implemented soon. "Our interest is to see an economically prosperous and politically stable Nepal," he said. "For economic progress there has to be a certain degree of political stability." In order to overcome economic backwardness, he suggested that Nepal should have full-fledged multiparty democracy. "We are not saying you should copy our system," he said. "But one needs stability and a functioning liberal multiparty democracy. It is also important for Nepal to have an independent civil service, free judiciary, strong civil society, military and police." Posted on: 2006-07-03 20:54:39 (Server Time)