Take steps for political mechanism, GPK tells PM

KATHMANDU, Dec 9: Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala has stressed the need for the formation of a high-level political mechanism to take the peace process to its logical end and write a new constitution on time. [break]



Koirala expressed such views during his meeting with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at Koirala´s residence at Maharajgunj, Wednesday evening.



"Koirala requested the prime minister to take initiatives for the formation of the mechanism," prime minister´s chief advisor Raghuji Pant quoted Koirala as saying during the 45-minute talks.



In reply, the prime minister told the NC president that he is also ready for such a mechanism, but that the growing Maoist violence has become an impediment to such an agreement.



The NC president has been stressing the need for such a mechanism for long to bail the country out of the political crisis. He had also agreed with Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for the formation of the mechanism during talks in Singapore on November 18.



According to Pant, the NC octogenarian leader also told the prime minister that the government took the correct measures while evicting the squatters from Dudejhari forest in Kailali. "Government should take stern measures in such matters," Pant quoted Koirala as telling the prime minister.



Koirala also congratulated the government for holding a cabinet meeting in Kalapatthar. "It has drawn the attention of the world to Nepal and the issue of climate change," he told Nepal. "It is good that you are attending the Copenhagen climate change summit. Have a nice journey!" Koirala told Nepal.

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