Nepal parties reject king's offer

The king's latest offer is unlikely to appease his opponents

Nepal's main political parties have rejected an offer by King Gyanendra to participate in talks which the king says could pave the way for elections.

In an address to the nation, the king said he would open up a dialogue with the opposition and hold elections.

But the opposition said the king's offer contained nothing new and protests would continue.

Home Minister Kamal Thapa said he hoped the security situation would improve enough to hold elections within a year.

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Kathmandu said the king's offer - delivered in a new year's speech - was short on substance.

His call to all political parties to join in a dialogue was something he had always advocated and he had spoken of holding general elections without delay many times before, our correspondent says.

Rejection

The opposition has accused the king of trying to hold on to direct rule and say he has not taken account of the protesters' demands.

"The king has failed to address the protests and the movement for democracy. He is only using the offer for dialogue to try prolong his rule," said Krishna Sitaula of the largest party, the Nepali Congress party.

"We will intensify the protests until we get rid of the autocratic monarchy," he said.

The king's critics, both domestic and international, say elections in the current climate of instability are impossible.

The opposition parties have already said they would boycott them.

Clashes this week between anti-royal demonstrators and security forces have left four people dead.