KATHMANDU, March 8: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal during a meeting on Tuesday have reached an agreement to expedite the peace process by reactivating the Special Committee.
They have also agreed to call a meeting of the Special Committee as soon as possible, according to Surya Thapa, the prime minister´s press advisor. [break]
Sources said the meeting is likely to be held on Thursday morning.
After the meeting the prime minister met Balananda Sharma, convener of the secretariat under the Special Committee, to discuss how the peace process-related works should be expedited.
According to sources, Sharma suggested to the prime minister to call the meeting of the Special Committee on Wednesday if possible. Sharma further advised the prime minister to resume the work by discussing the secretariat´s tentative proposal for rehabilitation packages for combatants.
The Special Committee has not met since January 23, two days after the Maoists handed over cantonments to the government.
After that meeting, the parties remained absorbed in the election of the prime minister. Then the committee remained non-functional as the prime minister struggled to give full shape to the cabinet and could not give attention to reactivating the body responsible for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants living in cantonments.