NEW DELHI, April 21 (UPI) -- India said it was optimistic King Gyanendra of Nepal will move to end the polical crisis after an envoy met with the embattled monarch for discussions.
The Asian Age newspaper said India's special envoy Karan Singh met with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after his return from Kathmandu and submitted his report on the situation in the Himalayan kingdom.
"I am optimistic. I am hopeful that the king will make an announcement shortly. The ball is in the king's court," the special envoy said.
Singh said India wanted immediate restoration of democracy in the kingdom, adding that he had had a fruitful meeting with the king and leaders of the seven party opposition bloc.
"I have not only conveyed (to King Gyanendra) India's assessment but also shared my own views with the king during our one-on-one meeting," Singh said. "I found him receptive."
As for ongoing protests by pro-democracy activists, Singh said: "I hope this does not derail the process. (Protesters) are building up and reaching a crescendo."
The Indian embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement that special envoy Singh "stressed the need for a genuine dialogue between the constitutional forces in Nepal, with the objective of urgently restoring multi-party democracy."
