Koirala resigns as Nepal PM

KATHMANDU, JULY 19. Beset by growing Maoist insurgent activities, a bribery scandal and recriminations over the June 1 massacre at Kathmandu's Narayanhiti Palace, Nepal's Prime Minister, Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, resigned today.

``I have decided to resign as Prime Minister, giving priority to solving the many challenges being faced by the nation,'' he said over State-run radio and television. Mr. Koirala, whose latest term lasted 15 months, has been Prime Minister for most of the 10 years since Nepal has had a democratic government.

He handed over his resignation to King Gyanendra, constitutional monarch, at the Narayanhiti Palace, where King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and many other members of the royal family were shot dead by Crown Prince Dipendra on June 1.

The Prince then turned the gun on himself, according to an official inquiry which many Nepalese refuse to accept.

The Opposition had demanded Mr. Koirala's resignation over the security lapse that led to the massacre, the Government's alleged involvement in a bribery scandal linked to the national airline and escalating violence by Maoist rebels.

Last week, the rebels attacked a police station in Nepal's remote and mountainous midwest and held 70 policemen hostage. Mr. Koirala ordered the Army to launch an operation, for the first time, against the rebels, but it was unable to rescue the policemen.

- AP

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