Nepal's King Gyanendra, facing mounting opposition to his seizure of power this year, renewed an offer of dialogue with the country's political parties but was rebuffed Tuesday by the two largest groups.
Gyanendra's overture was broadcast on state radio and television late Monday, even as the heads of the two leading parties said they were no longer committed to having a monarchy in the Himalayan country.
The king said there was "room for dialogue" with the parties as long as they "made clear" their views on such issues as terrorism and corruption.
King Gyanendra, who sacked the ruling coalition in February, said later his action was prompted by the government's failure to curb a deadly Maoist insurgency.
The largest party, the Nepali Congress - whose leaders proposed a motion to end support for the "constitutional monarchy" - said the king's offer was meaningless. "The king's suggestion for holding a dialogue is an attempt to hoodwink the international community ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting" in September, said senior Nepali Congress leader Hom Nath Dahal.
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