The understanding was reached between Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and army chief General Rookmangud Katawal during one-and-half-hour-long meeting on Wednesday. [break]
“There was general understanding not to halt the process immediately but hold a meeting with other political parties as well to deal with the issue in a package with other aspects of peace process,” said a source at the Defense Ministry.
The source said there was a heated debate between the defense minister and the army chief on whether to stop the process or not but ultimately they agreed to find a face-saving measure.
The army and the Maoists in the government engaged in war of words for weeks over the issue. Maoists said the fresh recruitment was breach to Comprehensive Peace Agreement while the army maintained that the recruitment is routine and based on a calendar approved by the representatives of Public Service Commission and Defense Ministry representatives.
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