The U.S. Carter Center (CC) has accepted the invitation of the Nepali government and the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (formerly known as guerrilla) to observe the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections, local eKantipur.com reported on Thursday.

President of the CC and former U.S. president Jimmy Carter wrote separate letters to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Chairman of CPN Prachanda, confirming the CC's involvement in monitoring the CA election.

Earlier, Prime Minister Koirala, Nepali Congress (Democratic) President Sher Bahadur Deuba, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and CPN Chairman Prachanda had written separate letters to former president Carter inviting the Center's involvement.

Prachanda in his letter had said, "In light of the commitment of our party towards a free and fair election to the Constituent Assembly, we shall be happy to invite the Carter Center's involvement in observing the CA elections."

Carter, in his letter to Prachanda, wrote, "I value your commitment to conducting the CA elections in a conducive environment free from fear, intimidation or fraud."

Nepal will be the 62nd country where the Center has been involved in election observation.

Country representative of the CC, Dr Duman Thapa, informed The Kathmandu Post on Wednesday that the Center will soon expand its Nepal office and begin observation of the electoral process.

"The observation will begin right from the preparation of the polls," said Dr Thapa.

He also informed that 10 long-term international observers will soon arrive in Kathmandu to begin observation. "Additional 40 will come for two weeks during the CA polls."

Carter himself would also visit Nepal, most probably during the election.

The CC, based in Atlanta, Georgia, works worldwide in prevention and resolution of conflicts and also specializes in election monitoring. The CC has been interested in Nepal's conflict resolution for a long time.

Source: Xinhua