Speaking at a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Bush declared: "On Nepal we agreed that the Maoists should abandon violence and that the king should reach out to the political parties to restore democratic institutions."

Some 12,500 people have died since the Maoists launched an uprising just over a decade ago.

Nepal's King Gyanendra sacked his government and took direct control of the impoverished Himalayan nation in February 2005 saying the politicians had failed to tackle the Maoists and was corrupt.

The United States and India yesterday strongly criticised human rights violations in military-ruled Myanmar and called for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"On Burma we agreed on the deplorable state of human rights in Burma and all nations should seek the release of Aung San Suu Kyi," US President George W. Bush told a joint press conference with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Aung San Suu Kyi has either been in jail or under house arrest for more than 10 of the past 16 years in Myanmar, which was formerly known as Burma.

She has had virtually no contact with the outside world since her last detention period began in May 2003. Her house arrest was last extended by six months in December.