A meeting of the two parties held at the UML´s Parliamentary Party Office in Singha Durbar on Sunday afternoon decided to ask the Maoists to help accomplish remaining tasks as agreed in the three-point deal on May 28 to pave way for the formation of a national consensus government. [break]
The parties maintained that the Maoists must ensure management of cantoned combatants, disbandment of the paramilitary structure of the Young Communist League (YCL) and return of the properties seized during the conflict. They have also decided to call a three-party meeting with the Maoist within the next two days in a bid to seek consensus.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said since two of three points agreed on May 28 have already been implemented the Maoists must agree on implementation of the agreements on peace process, including the management of their combatants.
“Only then can we form a national consensus government which can ensure new constitution and conclusion of the peace process,” he said.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal´s resignation on Wednesday was part of three-point deal.
NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi said the meeting asked the Maoists to implement agreements on peace process to prepare grounds for national consensus. “We also shared the things that transpired in the meeting between NC and the Maoists on Saturday,” he said.
The Maoists had proposed taking the issue of accomplishing the tasks of peace process and government formation simultaneously. They also asked the NC to lend them support for the formation of a new government under Maoist leadership.
Nidhi said the two parties have agreed to hold further talks with the Maoists. “The Maoists need to demonstrate positive attitude for national consensus,” he said. “National consensus government is possible only if the Maoists demonstrate their willingness to forge consensus on issues related to peace process and constitution drafting.”
Asked if there was any discussion on who would lead the new government, UML Chairman Khanal nothing such was discussed during the two-party meeting. “No one will get to lead the government by just staking claim for it,” he said. “”This is something to be settled after arriving at consensus through discussions among the parties.”
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