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Assembly election was largely free, fair: Carter
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, April 12
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Former US president Jimmy Carter addressing the media in Kathmandu on Saturday.
Former US President Jimmy Carter, who observed the Constituent Assembly election, has said that the crucial vote was held in free and fair manner except for a few minor discrepancies.“We are extremely gratified with what happened here. My deepest feeling is that of gratitude to the parties and the people,” he told a press conference organised by the Carter Center here today.He further said true aspiration of the Nepali people would be accurately reflected if all the votes were counted in a fair manner.The Carter Center observers had visited more than 400 polling centres in 28 districts on the Election Day and coordinated with domestic as well as international observers in other parts of the country.Asked if the Carter Center found contradictions on the observations made by different groups, the former US President said that the observations in general have been almost “unanimous, non-biased and non-partisan”. Carter said he met with PM Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist Chairman Prachanda and UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal after the voting was over and that they had expressed commitment to coalition government, establishment of federal republic, civil liberties and free enterprises after the polls. The Carter Center has commended the enthusiasm and determination of Nepali people to help consolidate peace and democracy by taking part in the polls and has urged them to remain actively involved in the process of drafting a new constitution to ensure that the process is transparent, accountable and inclusive.It has also praised the statesmanship and dedication of the political leaders to the election process, and has urged them to rapidly and transparently convene the Constituent Assembly, to agree on a new cabinet, and to refocus attention on the urgent need for economic development. Carter said he hopes and expects that the international community will continue its assistance to Nepal, and added that the international community should accept the expressed will of the Nepali people and engage accordingly with all relevant Nepali actors.
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