Kathmandu, April 14 (AP): Nepal’s King Gyanendra said he welcomed the country’s return to democracy, adopting a conciliatory tone in his New Year message to the Himalayan country today.

The turnaround for the beleaguered Gyanendra comes as Nepal heads to elections for a special assembly that will decide the unpopular monarch’s future, rewriting the constitution and deciding whether Nepal will continue as a constitutional monarchy. He provoked a public outcry when he used his last public statement in February to justify why he suspended parliament.

“It is natural that there will be support from me in the desires of the people to establish lasting peace through meaningful participation of all,” Gyanendra said. The Maoists had fought for 10 years to replace Nepal’s monarchy with a republic. More than 13,000 people were killed before a ceasefire was declared in April 2006.