The three parties sat for negotiation on Sunday evening after the NC held separate parleys with the UML and the Maoist leadership. The NC has expressed its willingness to discuss all possible alternatives, but has refused to drag the president into controversy. The party has also rejected amendment that curtails powers of the president.
NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula said the parleys had been helpful in building an atmosphere of confidence among the parties. “It, however, will take time to arrive at consensus,” he added.
Sitaula added that the leaders of both the ruling parties and the Maoists have conceded that there was no alternative to arriving at a consensus to draft new constitution and successfully conclude the peace process. “The realization will yield consensus sooner or later,” he said. The meeting also dwelled on possible alternatives to address the Maoist´s demand for ´civilian supremacy´.
Earlier Sunday, NC leader Bimalendra Nidhi and Sitaula met UML leaders Bharat Mohan Adhikari and the party´s general secretary Ishwar Pokharel at the UML headquarters in Balkhu.
According to NC General Secretary Nidhi, leaders of the two parties discussed alternative ways to address the concerns of the Maoists over President Dr Ram Baran Yadav´s move to reinstate then army chief. “We have agreed to forge consensus with the Maoists without dragging the president into any controversy,” he said.
The NC leaders had then met Maoist vice chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai and the party deputy parliamentary party leader Narayan Kaji Shrestha to discuss the issue. The Maoist leaders were adamant that the issue of president´s move be addressed in one way or the other in parliament.
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