A meeting of the three parties held at the call of Prime Minister Madhav Nepal on Wednesday reached a decision to this effect. [break]
Talking to media after the meeting, Maoist Vice Chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha said they proposed to move ahead by forging basic consensus on contentious issues. The three parties are scheduled to meet again on Thursday.
UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said the meeting discussed ways to implement the three-point deal reached last Friday. “We have decided to develop an understanding to implement the deal,” he said. "We will arrive at consensus soon."
Khanal said the three-point agreement clearly stipulates that both the tasks - agreement on contentious issues related to peace process and constitution drafting and the resignation of the prime minister - would be done without delay. "There are no differences over the three-point deal among the parties," he said.
Prime Minister Nepal told the leaders that he is ready to step down at any time should the three parties reach consensus, as they were running short of time to prepare budget for the new fiscal. He also asked the leaders to clarify whether the new government would prepare the budget.
“I am ready to do what you ask me to do,” he told journalists about what he said in the meeting.
NC Acting President Koirala said the parties must reach a comprehensive agreement on all issues for forming a national consensus government. “Resignation of the prime minister and formation of national consensus government are issues tied up to each other,” he said.
Earlier in the afternoon, a meeting of 22 parties asked the big three parties to arrive at consensus at the earliest to conclude the peace process and promulgate new constitution within the extended CA term. The 22 parties asked the big three to stop the blame game and end the political imbroglio.
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