KATHMANDU, March 8: Key leaders from the four major political forces have yet again claimed to have narrowed down differences on forming election government, criteria for voters’ registration and key provisions on Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Emerging from the interparty talks on Thursday evening, some leaders said they would finalize the deal by Friday while other participants were skeptic if the parties would reach any deal in the next 24 hours.[break]
“Almost all issues have been settled. The only one that is yet to be resolved is determination of the ranks of former Maoist combatants [who have joined the integration process],” Nepali Congress (NC) leader Sher Bahadur Dueba told reporters after the talks held at the secretariat of the special committee at New Baneshwar.
Also, Deputy Prime Minister Narayankaji Shrestha claimed that almost all the issues have been settled and that they agreed to finalize everything by Friday. “Tomorrow, the taskforce will finalize the language of the agreement. We will reach a final deal by tomorrow with a plan to hold elections by mid-June,” said Shrestha.
But NC Vice-President Ram Chandra Paudel was skeptic and said that some issues are yet to be settled.
Also CPN-UML Vice-Chairman Bamdev Gautam said that there are some differences, including on determining the ranks of the former Maoist combatants.
On determining ranks of the former Maoist combatants in the national army, the ruling Maoist leaders have been insisting that the senior-most Maoist combatant be given a rank of colonel in the NA. While NC and CPN-UML leaders have been maintaining that the ranks of Maoist combatants be determined in accordance with the national army´s standards or as determined by the cross-party special committee that is mandated to oversee the army integration process.
"These issues should be resolved based on the NA´s standard norms and the criteria set by the special committee," said Paudel. "It can´t be done through political agreements."
According to CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal, Thursday´s discussions mainly focused on issues ranging from voters´ list, provisions on TRC and commission on disappearances, rank determination of former Maoist combatants, removing constitutional difficulties and on the process of administering oath of office.
The ruling and opposition leaders are sharply divided over a key provision on the proposed TRC. While Maoists want to include a provision of general amnesty to those involved in human rights violations during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, opposition leaders are against the provision of general amnesty at all.
"There will be no provision of general amnesty. Those involved in violating serious human rights will be punished," said Gautam.
According to him, they reached an understanding in principle to finalize the entire process by Friday if possible.
According to Gautam, they have decided to settle the issue of voters´ registration based on the voters´ list used in the 2008 elections, the latest update of name list with photographs and the latest verdict issued by the Supreme Court in this connection.
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