11 September 2004	Saturday	25 Rajab 1425

NEW DELHI, Sept 10: Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba, seeking investments in his country, told Indian businessmen on Friday that Maoist "terrorism" would not be allowed to harm industry.

"We are fighting the problem of insurgency resolutely and responsibly," Mr Deuba said at a meeting organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) here.

"We will not allow the terror to reign and the liberal investment environment will be protected at any cost," he said. It was not clear how impressed the business community was in the backdrop of the Maoist threat to close down over 47 companies, many of them joint ventures and three or four having an Indian stake.

Official sources said India had agreed to give two more advanced light helicopters to Nepal. The choppers would help Nepal ferry its troops in the quickest possible time and deal with the armed rebels.

India had earlier given Nepal two AL helicopters, the success of which in operations against the Maoists led Kathmandu to seek a few more of the choppers. "The system is fully geared to facilitate the private sector to play its enhanced role in the economic growth and development of the country.

We have made considerable efforts to develop the private sector and accepted it as the leading partner in the process of our economic development," Mr Deuba said. Outlining broad areas in which the business communities of the two countries could forge partnership, he said Nepal offered an ideal destination for investment particularly in infrastructure development.