Kathmandu, May 15:

Indian ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood today said the bigger parties in the Constituent Assembly should take responsibility to form a unity government so that a new constitution could be framed in a stable situation.

Addressing an interaction here, he said the people of Nepal had expressed their desire through CA election to turn the country into a republic and India had accepted and respected that verdict.

“We are the first country to accept and welcome the verdict of Nepali people,” Sood said, adding India would continue to help Nepal, with which it shares age-old relations in all aspects of life.

“India wants to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Nepal and has been helping Nepal in its quest for a prosperous Nepal. India will continue to play that role,” Sood said.

Expressing India’s commitment to continue to work with a Maoist-led government, Sood said. “India’s relation with Nepal is much more deeper. It will continue to be so no matter who comes to the power.”

“It is completely incorrect,” he said when asked if he proposed the name of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala as the next head of the state and said such issues are for the people and leaders of Nepal to decide.

He also maintained that it was up to the leaders and people of Nepal to decide the fate of monarchy.

Stating that India wanted to know the position of Nepal’s new government on Nepal-India Friendship and Trade Treaty signed in 1950, Sood said his country was ready to carry further discussion on possible revision, scrapping or amendment of the treaty.

“This is not a new issue,” Sood said, adding that the bureaucrats of both the countries had begun to discuss the issue as early as seven years ago but discussions were suspended due to political uncertainties in Nepal.

“I think we will be able to address the issues of the friendship treaty in a mutually accepted manner as both of the countries share excellent relations at people’s level,” he said.

He hoped that the constituent assembly would be able to frame a new constitution that would help strengthen Nepal’s national integrity, reflect economic aspirations of the people

and ensure equity, justice and equal rights for all citizens of Nepal.