The disclosure comes at a time when the UCPN (Maoist) and the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) have demanded that the issue of recruitment by the NA should be taken up by the JMCC.[break]
"A gentleman´s agreement was reached on August 30, 2007, according to which recruitment by the NA would continue within the ceiling of 95,7”3," NA Spokesperson Brigadier General Ramindra Chettri told Republica.
Since this agreement, the NA has opened recruitment twice.
The agreement, Chettri said, was reached at the 47th meeting of the JMCC.
As per the agreement, all parties agreed "in principle" that the recruitment process will go on within the NA´s numerical ceiling, Chettri said.
Moreover, UNMIN had submitted a protest letter to the government. But the government on January 7, 2008, sent a response letter to UNMIN stating that NA recruitment does not violate any clause of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and that the JMCC had given a nod to the NA to go ahead with its recruitment after due discussion“
"The government´s letter clearly stated that recruitment does not violate the CPA and that the matter was discussed at the JMCC where a consensus was reached over the matt”r," Chettri said, adding, "There is thus no question now that the NA cannot go ahead with its recruitment or that the issue should be revived at the JMCC."
Objecting to the latest NA announcement on recruitment of 3,464 personnel last week, the UCPN (Maoist) had also announced vacancies for the Maoist army to increase its numerical strength to 31,300. UNMIN had denounced the recruitment calls by both sides.
Quoting Clause 10.5 of the CPA, Chettri argued that the concept of ´two parties´ as mentioned in the CPA ceased to exist once the Interim Legislature-Parliament was constituted.
Chettri said, "The restriction was imposed until the CA elections and thereafter Clause 10.5 says that the concept of two parties ceases to exist. The limited monitoring role of the JMCC over the NA ends after that."
Clause 10.5 states: The concept of ´two parties´ as mentioned in this agreement would automatically cease to exist after the constitution of the Interim Legislature-Parliament. Thereafter, all responsibility for implementing the obligations stated in this agreement shall be as per arrangements worked out by the Interim Council of Ministers. It would be the duty and responsibility of all political parties to extend cooperation in the compliance and implementation of the agreement.
Chettri also said Clause 4.8 of the CPA states that the NA will continue work such as providing border security, the security of conservation areas, protected areas, banks, airports, power houses, telephone towers, the central secretariat and the security of VIPs, for which "NA has to have manpower."
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