“We are tentatively planning to meet Maoist leaders around 2 pm on Wednesday,” said an NC leader, adding, “We may also hold trilateral meetings later in the evening.”
The preparation for the meetings follows several rounds of backdoor meetings between Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress leaders Krishna Sitaula and Amresh Singh last week. [break]
This would be the first meeting between the top leaders of the ruling UCPN (Maoist) and NC to discuss the peace process since the Maoists took three confidence building steps, including the decision to return the seized properties.
Sources said that the two major parties are yet to arrive at an agreement on key issues of the peace process despite several rounds of behind-the-curtain meetings in recent days.
The Maoist leaders at the meetings had reiterated that the management of the Maoist combatants should begin without fixing the number of ex-Maoist combatants to be integrated in security agencies while stressing on attractive rehabilitation packages for those opting for rehabilitation.
In addition, the Maoists had also proposed to pension off the combatants opting for rehabilitation if an attractive package is not possible. But the NC leaders turned down the proposal saying such a move would add unnecessary burden on the national treasury. But the leaders have agreed to discuss these issues at the political level.
The rank harmonization issue has also remained unresolved. The Maoist leaders remain adamant that the ex-combatants be given a post of major general but the NC leaders are only ready to offer them the post of colonel in the Nepal Army.
The issue of the number of ex-Maoist combatants to be integrated in security agencies also remains unresolved.
“Despite differences, the leaders from both the parties consider the time appropriate to hold bilateral and multilateral talks for a package deal,” said the leader.
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