The leaders of the three major parties have held several rounds of inter- and intra-party talks but things are still in an early phase, too early to bear any concrete outcome.
Leaders engaged in the talks said “all agenda” are on the table. “Our aim is to find a negotiated solution to all contentious issues and avert the possible crisis that may arise around May 28,” said an NC leader.[break]
The talks so far revolve around three key issues: peace process, constitution writing and power-sharing -- ideally formation of a national unity government.
And the leaders sound excited about how things are shaping up in these initial discussions.
”I am optimistic over how the talks have progressed so far,” said Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Vice-chairman of UCPN (Maoist).
NC leader Dr Ram Saran Mahat also echoed the optimism but cautioned that a lot of nitty-gritty has to be negotiated and agreed to seal a comprehensive deal.
NC-UML discuss common position
Senior leaders of the Nepali Congress and the Madav Nepal and K P Oli faction of the CPN-UML agreed on Wednesday to take a common position over extension of the Constituent Assembly (CA) term.
During a meeting held at a house at Tinkune, the NC and UML leaders agreed that the CA term should be extended only if there is tangible progress in the peace process before May 28.
According to a leader involved in the talks, there should be an agreement on the modality, number and standard norms for the integration of Maoist combatants in the security forces and the regrouping of combatants should be completed before May 28. They also agreed that the Maoists must demonstrate their commitment to promulgating a democratic constitution.
The NC and UML leaders have also concluded that Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal’s government is an obstacle to the formation of a national consensus government and it must go.
Senior leader and former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, K P Sharma Oli, Ishwar Pokharel, Bhim Rawal, Pradip Gyawali and Shankar Pokharel from UML and General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Bimalendra Nidhi and Dr Minendra Rijal from NC attended the meeting.
Nepal and Oli conveyed the same message to Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai when they met on Wednesday.
Alarmed PM cuts short foreign trip
Alarmed by the rapidly unfolding political developments that could unseat his government, Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has decided to cut short his foreign visit by three days and is arriving back in Kathmandu Thursday morning from Istanbul, Turkey, where he attended a UN conference of Least Developed Countries.
Issuing a press statement from Istanbul, Prime Minister´s Press Advisor Surya Thapa said the prime minister was shortening his visit in view of “current political developments” in the country. He left for Doha, Qatar from Istanbul at 1:20 p.m. local time, Wednesday.
According to the prime minister’s original travel itinerary, he was supposed to come back on May 15.
Growing calls in UML for PM to quit
There are growing calls in Prime Minister Khanal’s party for him to quit and facilitate the way for the formation of a national consensus government. The latest to demand his resignation is politburo member Pradeep Nepal. Speaking at a program in Sunsari, Nepal said, “Since he has violated a number of the party’s decisions he should resign immediately. And if he fails to do so, the party should take action against him.”
Former prime minister Nepal and senior leader Oli have already publicly demanded his resignation. The Nepal-Oli faction is preparing to pass a resolution for a national consensus government at the party’s upcoming politburo meeting.
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