Ruling parties hit back at Maoists

KATHMANDU, June 4: The ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML Friday hit back at the UCPN (Maoist) saying that the main opposition party betrayed them by not implementing last Friday´s deal to reach an agreement´ on a ´work plan´ and ´time table´ to conclude the peace process.



A meeting of the NC and UML leaders at the prime minister´s Baluwatar residence Friday morning concluded that the Maoists had betrayed them by raising only the issue of the prime minister´s resignation, while keeping aside the issue of peace process and constitution drafting. [break]



The NC and UML had reached a ´gentleman´s agreement´ with the Maoists to secure prime minister´s resignation within five days just before the extension of Constituent Assembly term on May 28.



The two parties maintain that there was also a ´gentleman´s agreement´ on the part of the Maoists to agree on a ´work plan´ and ´time table´ to conclude peace process and constitution writing.



NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi said the Maoist allegation that the ruling parties had betrayed them is false. "This is an attempt of the Maoists not to implement the agreements reached in the past," he said.



On Thursday, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal announced a fresh protest alleging that the ruling parties had breached the gentleman´s agreement on prime minister´s resignation by last Wednesday.



"This is misinterpretation of the agreement," said Nidhi. "The agreement was to take both the issues of peace process and constitution drafting and national consensus government simultaneously."



The two-party meeting dwelt on issues related to the progress on the implementation of the agreements reached with the Maoists in the past and Maoist dissatisfaction.



Talking to media after the meeting, NC Spokesperson Arjun Narsingh KC said the meeting concluded that the issues prime minister´s resignation, constitution drafting and peace process must be resolved in a package deal.



The meeting reiterated the stance of the ruling parties that prime minister should step down only after the Maoists agree on a concrete work plan with a time frame for the management of Maoist combatants, disbanding paramilitary structure of Young Communist League and return of seized properties in the past.



The ruling parties have decided to give continuity to dialogues with the Maoists and other parties. The parties will hold both formal and informal talks with other parties to resolve the political deadlock.

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