KATHMANDU: Nepal’s King Gyanendra left on Wednesday for an international summit in Jakarta where he aims to drum up international support for his seizure of power, officials said. Gyanendra is due to address the Asia-Africa summit on Friday that will be attended by representatives from 85 countries, including nearly 50 heads of state from the two continents.

“The king and queen left here for Jakarta on Wednesday to attend the Jakarta summit,” a foreign ministry official said.

The journey marks the king’s first foray on the world stage since assuming absolute power in the Himalayan kingdom February 1 and suspending civil liberties, a step Gyanendra said was needed to tackle a bloody Maoist revolt.

“The visit will “help Nepal muster international support... ,” Nepal Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey said this week.

“He will explain to the world the reasons for his political actions that are to control Maoist terrorists,” another foreign ministry official said.

Maoist rebels have been battling since 1996 to install a communist republic in a conflict that has claimed over 11,000 lives.

Nepal’s longstanding ally and major trading partner India has suspended military aid to the kingdom along with Britain and the United States has threatened to follow suit.

He will meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the two conferences in what analysts say reflects warming relations with Beijing.—AFP