The European Union on Friday welcomed an announcement by Nepal's interim government that the Constituent Assembly elections, the country's first national polls after the abolition of the 239-year-old monarchy, will be held on November 19.
In a statement issued by her office on Friday, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton praised the decision and noted that the consolidation of the transition in Nepal, including the establishment of stable democratically elected institutions, is a pre-requisite for the country's successful development.
Noting that it is essential to move forward in the electoral process under the present circumstances, Ashton urged "all relevant actors" in Nepal to adopt a constructive attitude to ensure the "widest possible political commitment for national elections in November and local elections as soon as possible."
Ashton said the elections would allow the people of Nepal to achieve their democratic aspirations, and added that the European Union remains "ready to extend all its support during the election process and its aftermath, including through the deployment of an Election Observation Mission."
Nepal had abolished its monarchy after a peace accord signed in 2006 ended the decade-long armed conflict between the government and the Maoist Opposition. It is estimated that at least 13,000 people were killed and 1,300 went missing during the 1996-2006 conflict.
Nepal's fragile peace process began after the Maoists ended their armed revolt and entered mainstream politics. The 491-member Constituent Assembly that emerges from the November elections will have the responsibility of drafting a new constitution for Nepal.
The previous Constituent Assembly, which was dissolved in May 2012, had failed to reach an agreement on the new Constitution due to differences between the country's main political parties.
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