The meeting was held at the parliamentary party office of the UCPN (Maoist) at Singha Durbar. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal are other members of the mechanism with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal as invitee-member. [break]
Though the meeting couldn´t nominate its coordinator, the members agreed to select one in the coming days. According to party leaders involved in the talks, they agreed not to dispute over the post while the entire nation is mourning Koirala´s death.
"Prachandaji [Dahal] himself and other leaders proposed not to enter into the matter today," said Ram Chandra Poudel, NC parliamentary party leader. The meeting was chaired by Dahal as it was held at the Maoist parliamentary party office.
According to one member of the mechanism, they may give continuity to this arrangement under which the meeting is chaired by the chief of the political party that hosts it, until they nominate a coordinator. Maoists and NC have staked claims to the post while some UML leaders have floated the idea of the mechanism being chaired in rotation.
- Dahal as host chairs meeting
- Sushil signs statement
- Deuba exits in middle of meeting
- Coordinator to be named later
In the meeting, the leaders discussed various issues ranging from the constitution making process, the contents of the new statute, the peace process, forming the state restructuring commission and meeting the May 28 deadline for the constitution.
Maoist leaders Dahal, Narayankaji Shrestha and Dev Gurung, UML leaders Khanal, Bishnu Poudel, Bhim Rawal and Pradip Gyawali and NC leaders Poudel, Sushil Koirala, Sher Bahadur Deuba and Krishna Sitaula, among others, were present in the meeting.
Deuba left the meeting in the middle of it. Some of those present took his exit as a meaningful gesture as NC Acting President Koirala signed the statement along with the Maoist and UML chairmen. Both Deuba and Koirala have been claiming to be the late NC president´s successor. One leader, however, said Deuba didn´t express any explicit dissatisfaction in the meeting.
According to Poudel, the meeting discussed at length about speedily forming and giving full shape to the proposed state restructuring commission. The three major parties have already agreed to form the commission. They are yet to discuss with the other 22 political parties for their approval.
The leaders decided to hold the next round of HLPM meeting after bilateral talks between the parties.
A positive step: Nembang
Meanwhile, CA Chairman Subas Nembang is optimistic following the immediate resumption of HLPM meeting. He said while there was doubt whether or not the mechanism would be given continuity, this was a good political indication.
"HLPM has become vital for resolving many issues that are too political," Nembang told myrepublica.com.
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