Koirala went to Dahal´s residence in an effort to forge consensus with the main opposition after Dahal expressed inability to meet him due to busy schedule. [break]
“The Maoists have not shown any interest in holding talks with the ruling parties,” complained an NC leader. The leader said Saturday´s meeting with Dahal was held on the initiative of Koirala.
Koirala reiterated that the Maoists should determine the number of combatants to be integrated into various security agencies and come up with a concrete plan to manage them under a certain timeframe.
Koirala had also stressed on the need to reach a package deal on all six agendas sorted out earlier to pave way for the formation of national consensus government. “But there was no specific response from the Maoist leader,” added the NC leader.
Talking to media persons after half an hour long meeting, Koirala said he was hopeful that the talks would yield positive results. “I am hopeful,” he said. Koirala, however, declined to divulge details as to what transpired during the meeting.
FNCCI deadline extended by a day
Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) that gave a 48-hour deadline to the parties to forge consensus on Thursday decided extend the deadline by one more day.
An executive meeting of the FNCCI held on Saturday took a decision to this effect. “We reviewed the political activities of the past two days to end the deadlock,” said Pradip Jung Pandey, Vice President of the FNCCI. “We have decided to extend the deadline by 24 hours at the request of Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang.”
CA Chairman Nembang had urged the FNCCI delegation to extend the deadline by at least a day as Saturday is a public holiday.
On Thursday, the FNCCI had decided not to pay tax to the government and donations to political parties if the parties fail to forge an agreement by Saturday.
The ruling NC and the CPN-UML have taken exception to the decision, saying that they cannot equate payment of tax compulsorily payable under law with extortions.
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