The State of the State column by CK Lal ('Parallel histories', #260) contains inaccurate and irresponsible reporting about my 9 August speech before the Nepal Council of World Affairs. Mr Lal reports incorrectly that I 'strongly urged political parties to accept any proposals for elections emanating from the Palace'. While I did indeed emphasise in my remarks that democracy means elected government, I never said that the parties should kowtow to the Palace as to how and when those elections take place. Indeed, I made it quite clear that the Palace not only needs to make good faith proposals designed to bring back democracy but must also expect to negotiate with the parties on the way forward. My actual words were: "We call on the Palace to reach out to the political parties with sincere proposals that reflect their common agenda of multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy and a return to full electoral democracy. For their part, the political parties must keep an open mind and accept a hand, if offered. That doesn't mean accepting everything the government says at face value, but it does mean being willing to negotiate in good faith to find a solution to Nepal's problems."

I believe that Mr Lal was present during the speech on 9 August, so it is especially difficult to understand how he could have so inaccurately reported this crucial point. The U.S. government shares the concern of every Nepali that any proposed elections be free and fair and that they be a true representation of the electorate. Democracy means rule of the people, by the people, and for the people. Democracy in Nepal obviously will require elections, but how and when those elections take place is a question for the people of Nepal to decide.

The full text of my statement is available on our website at http://nepal.usembassy.gov. I encourage Nepalis to read it and see for themselves that the United States is serious about its commitment to freedom, civil rights, and democracy. Our policy in Nepal is to encourage and support those principles that we hold dear in our own country-for the sake of democracy and ending the insurgency.

James F Moriarty
US Ambassador to Nepal