"The Chairman told the prime minister that his party is positive on taking whatever steps are required to forward the peace process," said Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha about the Dahal-Nepal meeting on Monday. [break]
According to Dahal´s aide Samir Dahal, the Maoist chief told the caretaker prime minister that the party is for speeding up the integration and rehabilitation and sought full cooperation from the government.
"You should work on creating an atmosphere for the integration to be completed as soon as possible," Samir Dahal quoted the chairman as saying during the 15-minute meeting with the prime minister at the latter´s residence.
He said the prime minister told the chairman the government would do its part through the Special Committee for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.
None of the prime minister´s advisors was available for comment on the Nepal-Dahal meeting.
Talking to myrepublica.com, Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha said his party is bringing out a proposal on integration and rehabilitation in a few days that would "pleasantly surprise" the ruling parties. He did not elaborate.
The integration and rehabilitation of over 19,000 combatants living in UN-monitored camps is the most contentious issue in the peace process.
Meantime, the government has set up the office of the secretariat meant to oversee integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction at Singha Durbar.
According to Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong, recently nominated members from the Nepal Army (NA), Nepal Police (NP) and Armed Police Force (APF) have joined the 12-member secretariat, which will work under the Special Committee, the government-formed body for managing the combatants.
Though representatives from the NA, NP and APF have started working at the secretariat, the People´s Liberation Army (PLA) is yet to formally designate Nanda Kishor Pun as a representative.
"We´re working on that as well," Shrestha said.
Secretary at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction Dhruba Prasad Sharma told myrepublica.com that Joint Secretary Sadhu Ram Sapkota has been designated as secretary at the secretariat for the time being.
The Special Committee is to start the process of integration and rehabilitation once the secretariat gets full shape. Once the UCPN (Maoist) sends its member, the secretariat will become fully operational.
Persuade NC: Dahal to PM
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has asked Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, during his meeting with the latter, to take initiative in persuading the Nepali Congress to form a new government, according to Maoist Vice-chairman Shrestha.
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