The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Nepal.

The resolution had been tabled by the PES, Greens/ALE, EPP-ED, ALDE, UEN and GUE/NGL groups.

Following events since the royal coup in February 2005, Parliament welcomes the ceasefire declaration by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M). It refers to the seven-party alliance bringing together most mainstream political parties, which between them had more than 190 seats in the disbanded 205-member parliament, and which agreed in August 2005 to appoint a joint team for formal negotiations. Parliament welcomes these first steps to start a political process to resolve the armed conflict, and calls for an indefinite extension of the Maoist ceasefire and for King Gyanendra to reciprocate the ceasefire and engage in constructive talks with political groups, which should include the Maoist rebels, with a view to restoring democratic processes.

Members call for urgent action by the Nepalese authorities with a view to the upcoming Troika visit planned for October 4 to 6 2005, and asks them to cooperate at these meetings to enable a fruitful discussion to take place. They call on King Gyanendra to guarantee the full sovereignty of parliamentary democratic authorities.

With regard to EU action, Parliament calls on the Council and the Member States to continue to suspend military aid . It asks that all aid to Nepal be monitored and that smart sanctions be imposed in order to maintain pressure on the royal government to restore democratic governance and explore all avenues to peace talks. The resolution calls on the Commission and the administrations of the Member States to scrutinise closely all development assistance to Nepal and to make sure that it serves its prime purpose of alleviating poverty and addresses the underlying causes of conflict in the country.

Parliament wants the international community to establish a Contact Group, made up of Nepal's key partners and international organisations (the EU, the US, India and the UN), to provide coordinated international action with regard to Nepal. It proposes that the European Parliament appoint a special rapporteur to monitor the situation. The contact Group of key partners is asked to organise a follow-up to the 2002 London International Conference, which should set out the principles and values needed to underpin a peace process in Nepal and bring together all major players from the international community, as well as King Gyanendra, the Maoist rebel groups and the main political parties.

Members note that municipal elections are to be held in April 2006, and they call for parliamentary elections to be held at the same time. The EU is asked to send an election observation mission to monitor these elections. All political parties must be able to participate fully in the elections.

Parliament refers to the fact that media censorship and severe human rights abuses, including torture, detention, displacements, abductions and unlawful killings committed by the police forces, the Royal Nepalese Army, as well as the Maoist insurgents, continue and hundreds of political and human rights activists, journalists and trade unionists remain under arrest. It strongly condemns violence in all forms and by all parties, and stresses that basic human rights and freedoms must be upheld in Nepal. Both the King and the Maoists are asked to sign human rights accords to curb abuses.

Parliament stresses that any restrictions on media freedom should be lifted immediately and that all political prisoners in detention should be either released or charged. Lastly, it asks the King to provide rehabilitation for the 30 000 Kapilvastu villagers displaced by violent conflict.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on Nepal.

The resolution had been tabled by the PES, Greens/ALE, EPP-ED, ALDE, UEN and GUE/NGL groups.

Following events since the royal coup in February 2005, Parliament welcomes the ceasefire declaration by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M). It refers to the seven-party alliance bringing together most mainstream political parties, which between them had more than 190 seats in the disbanded 205-member parliament, and which agreed in August 2005 to appoint a joint team for formal negotiations. Parliament welcomes these first steps to start a political process to resolve the armed conflict, and calls for an indefinite extension of the Maoist ceasefire and for King Gyanendra to reciprocate the ceasefire and engage in constructive talks with political groups, which should include the Maoist rebels, with a view to restoring democratic processes.

Members call for urgent action by the Nepalese authorities with a view to the upcoming Troika visit planned for October 4 to 6 2005, and asks them to cooperate at these meetings to enable a fruitful discussion to take place. They call on King Gyanendra to guarantee the full sovereignty of parliamentary democratic authorities.

With regard to EU action, Parliament calls on the Council and the Member States to continue to suspend military aid . It asks that all aid to Nepal be monitored and that smart sanctions be imposed in order to maintain pressure on the royal government to restore democratic governance and explore all avenues to peace talks. The resolution calls on the Commission and the administrations of the Member States to scrutinise closely all development assistance to Nepal and to make sure that it serves its prime purpose of alleviating poverty and addresses the underlying causes of conflict in the country.

Parliament wants the international community to establish a Contact Group, made up of Nepal's key partners and international organisations (the EU, the US, India and the UN), to provide coordinated international action with regard to Nepal. It proposes that the European Parliament appoint a special rapporteur to monitor the situation. The contact Group of key partners is asked to organise a follow-up to the 2002 London International Conference, which should set out the principles and values needed to underpin a peace process in Nepal and bring together all major players from the international community, as well as King Gyanendra, the Maoist rebel groups and the main political parties.

Members note that municipal elections are to be held in April 2006, and they call for parliamentary elections to be held at the same time. The EU is asked to send an election observation mission to monitor these elections. All political parties must be able to participate fully in the elections.

Parliament refers to the fact that media censorship and severe human rights abuses, including torture, detention, displacements, abductions and unlawful killings committed by the police forces, the Royal Nepalese Army, as well as the Maoist insurgents, continue and hundreds of political and human rights activists, journalists and trade unionists remain under arrest. It strongly condemns violence in all forms and by all parties, and stresses that basic human rights and freedoms must be upheld in Nepal. Both the King and the Maoists are asked to sign human rights accords to curb abuses.

Parliament stresses that any restrictions on media freedom should be lifted immediately and that all political prisoners in detention should be either released or charged. Lastly, it asks the King to provide rehabilitation for the 30 000 Kapilvastu villagers displaced by violent conflict.