Military

DATE=12/23/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=INDIA NEPAL KING (L-ONLY)

NUMBER=2-321308

BYLINE=ANJANA PASRICHA

DATELINE=NEW DELHI

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Nepal's King Begins Visit to India

INTRO: The king of Nepal is beginning an 11-day visit to India as instability in his country deepens. As Anjana Pasricha reports, the Nepalese king is expected to seek more support from its giant neighbor in quelling a Maoist insurgency raging in the country.

TEXT: Nepal's Narayanhiti Palace has described King's Gyanendra's visit to India as a goodwill visit.

But political analysts in both countries say the king will look for greater cooperation from New Delhi in his government's fight against Maoist rebels.

King Gyanendra is scheduled to meet senior Indian leaders, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday. He also will visit several cities in the country.

His visit comes as the international community expresses fears about growing instability in Nepal. The Maoist rebels have intensified their eight-year struggle to establish a communist republic. The country also has been embroiled in a political crisis since King Gyanendra fired an elected government and suspended democracy two-years ago.

Some analysts say India is likely to urge the king to resolve his standoff with Nepal's political parties and pave the way for negotiations with the rebels.

King Gyanendra is also likely to seek more military support from New Delhi to crush the insurgents. India has been training and equipping Nepal's army, but has ruled out joining operations against the insurgents.

The head of the Center for Contemporary Studies in Kathmandu, Lok Raj Baral, says there is little expectation that the king's visit to India will help ease the crisis the country faces.

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"Since internally Nepal is in a very difficult situation . such visits would do little for the resolution of the present crisis. Except the military assistance etc. what else can India do?"

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The king's visit follows a violent week in Nepal during which the rebels intensified attacks against security forces and burned several cargo trucks. Earlier in the day, they blockaded highways leading to the capital, disrupting traffic to the city.

The rebels have stepped up their campaign to abolish the monarchy since the government gave them a January 13th deadline to join peace talks. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/AP/KPD/RAE