The government is summoning ambassadors who issued statements advising the king and political parties to work together to restore democracy and solve the Maoist problem. On Friday, the government accused British Ambassador Keith Bloomfield and Indian Ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee of crossing the line when they openly welcomed the solidarity shown by the parties in demanding restoration of parliament. Even the United States, which had believed that the democratic process would be restored within 100 days is dissatisfied. What course of action the US will adopt is hard to say but to support a non-democratic nation is not a part of its doctrine. There is still a possibility that America will not resume military and financial support to Nepal. While the government is drawing up its budget, donor countries are busy cutting theirs. This will certainly cause more problems for the state. India, which has from the very beginning clearly opposed the royal move and supported democracy, might take the warning issued to its ambassador lightly. Nepal's relationship with these two countries may go cold because they have supported the political agenda for peace and democracy put forward by the parties.

If the palace does not listen to the international community's advice it will antagonise them further. The strict restrictions put on the media and publication houses, the undemocratic changes in process for the Civil Servants Act and the suppression imposed on democratic activists indicate that the king is in no mood to look back. Even if the government's relationship with India, Britain and the US grows cold, it is hopeful that its northern neighbour China will extend military aid. A special envoy from China will be in Kathmandu this week to discuss arms trade. All this only points towards the government's inclination to tighten its control, maintain its dictatorial stand and isolate Nepal from the rest of the world. This government is clearly more focused on intensifying the conflict than in solving the country's problems.