Dahal, however, did not divulge any details as to what kind of ´difficult´ and ´bold´ decision he might take. [break]
According to a highly placed source, Dahal told Pascoe that he was flexible for a compromise with the political parties to reach a ´package deal´ on the peace process. Dahal is also learnt to have told Pascoe that even if the negotiations with the parties failed, he was willing to take unilateral actions to take the peace process forward.
The Maoist chairman´s announcement comes at a time when the Nepali Congress (NC) has been demanding that the Maoists first determine tentatively the number of combatants to be integrated in various security agencies to expedite the process of integration and rehabilitation of combatants.
The Maoist party is also under intense pressure to settle the issue of integration and rehabilitation as Maoist army commanders at the recently held plenum at Palungtar, Gorkha demanded that the party leadership settle the issue of their integration and rehabilitation at the earliest. The commanders had even criticized the party leadership for making them a ladder for reaching power.
There are over 19,000 Maoist combatants currently living in seven main cantonments and 21 satellite cantonments across the country.
NC asks UN for continued support to peace process
The Nepali Congress (NC) has asked Pascoe for the UN´s continued support for the peace process even after UNMIN´s departure on January 15, 2011.
During a meeting with Pascoe at the residence of Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala at Maharajgunj Saturday morning, NC leaders requested UN´s continued support for the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.
On the occasion, Pascoe said that the UN was holding talks with its local office in Nepal on ways to assist the ongoing peace process after UNMIN´s departure. “We have our system to closely monitor political developments for three years after the mission´s exit,” an NC leader quoted Pasco as saying.
Speaking at a press conference later in the afternoon before wrapping up his two-day visit to Nepal, Pascoe said, “UN is in no way abandoning Nepal just because UNMIN is leaving. We have been deeply involved here. All of the UN agencies and the country team are deeply committed to helping Nepal´s development and we will continue our interest in the political process.”
Pascoe said that Nepal will remain on the Security Council agenda automatically for three years after the closure of UNMIN. “Therefore, it will be important that we continue to be engaged to do everything we can to help the process move forward,” he further said.
“We want to make sure that there is a smooth transition as UNMIN departs in six weeks. And, we want to make sure that peace process moves quickly so that the period up through the passage of a new constitution, which is so critical to do within the set timeframe, is carried out,” he added.
Pascoe urges parties to make ´key compromises´
Pascoe urged the political parties to make ´key compromises´ to help take the peace process to a logical end. “I heard differing views on this trip, disagreement in some areas. But I am convinced that these different views are bridgeable,” he said, adding, “What is really needed are the key compromises that can only come from the political will of the party leaders.”
He suggested to the political leaders to move quickly to resolve the issue of integration and rehabilitation, power-sharing and the drafting of a new constitution. "I repeat it. Time is very short and the demand is for political will of all the parties concerned to make sure that this happens," Pascoe told a press conference after his whirlwind meetings with political leaders, government officials and members of the diplomatic community.
Besides NC President Koirala, Pascoe held a separate meeting with Speaker Subas Nembang and also separate consultations Saturday with representatives of the international community including the ambassadors of the US, UK, China, India, Australia, France and the European High Commission.
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