Constitutional Committee chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that the new constitution to be drafted by the elected Constituent Assembly would guarantee the press freedom, Nepali state-owned newspaper The Rising Nepal reported on Sunday.

In a meeting with visiting delegation of International Media Mission here on Saturday morning, Nepal said it was necessary to take stern action against those involved in the attacks on journalists and the media.

The Media Mission drew Nepal's attention to the challenges facing the media fraternity.

Nepal noted that riotous elements were active to hinder the process of writing the new constitution.

The Constituent Assembly, with the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) as the single largest party in it, was formed on May 28, 2008 and declared Nepal a federal democratic republic at its first meeting on the same day. It is expected to draft a new constitution for the country in two years by May, 2010.

(Xinhua News Agency February 8, 2009)