KATHMANDU, Sept 30 (AFP) - India should continue its suspension of arms sales to Nepal to pressure King Gyanendra to reverse his February power grab, an Indian political delegation said Friday at the end of a fact-finding mission here.

All political parties represented agreed that the arms embargo should continue, Communist Part of India (Marxist) politburo member Sitaram Yechuri told reporters.

"We will not allow the Indian government to supply arms to Nepal until democracy is fully restored," said Yechury, who is leading the seven-member team.

He denied allegations by the Nepalese authorities that the delegation was meddling in the affairs of another country.

"It is a baseless accusation that we have come here to interfere in Nepal's internal affairs," he said.

"We have come here to show our solidarity with the seven-party alliance fighting for the restoration of democracy. We are here to see the alliance's movement against the King's February 1 actions and express our solidarity in its movement for democracy."

It is the first high-level Indian delegation to visit Nepal since the king on February 1 sacked the four-party coalition government for failing to tackle a Maoist rebellion that has claimed more than 12,000 lives since 1996.

Pro-monarchy supporters hurled stones at their vehicle when they arrived in the Himalayan kingdom Wednesday, witnesses said.

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Received by NewsEdge Insight: 09/30/2005 09:32:14