KATHMANDU, Oct 12: The UCPN (Maoist) has proposed amending the draft joint resolution prepared by the ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML if the protracted political crisis is to end. [break]
The Maoists handed over the amended draft resolution to the UML talks team during a meeting at the Maoist parliamentary party office at Singha Durbar, Monday. “The Maoists have handed over the draft after amending it. We shall hold talks with the NC on Tuesday and decide how to go about it,” said UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari, who is also a member of the talks team.
Last week, a meeting of the three largest political parties had agreed to end the political deadlock through a joint resolution in the legislature-parliament, and handed over the task of preparing such a draft of the resolution to the ruling political parties.
Later, the Maoists demanded that the draft resolution was unacceptable to them saying it conveyed a meaning that the Maoist-led government was wrong in deciding to sack the then army chief Rookmangud Katawal and President Dr Ram Baran Yadav had to reinstate Katawal to correct it.
“They (Maoists) want that the draft should convey a meaning that the president´s move [reinstating the then army chief] was wrong, and that needs to be corrected,” said Adhikari. The draft prepared by the NC and UML mentions the president´s move as background.
“We have proposed that the issues raised by us should be mentioned in the draft unambiguously,” said Maoist deputy leader in the parliament Narayankaji Shrestha.
According to a leader involved in the talks, the Maoists have proposed change in the second point of the draft which states: “As constitutional head of state, we express commitment to keep it more dignified and free from controversy.” The Maoists have proposed that they add, “Because the president´s step was wrong” to this point.
During the meeting, the Maoists had also proposed to seek consensus in “package”, which includes issues such as taking the peace process to its logical end, constitution-writing, peace process, and integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist army.
The Maoist talks team also visited the NC central office at Sanepa in the evening and met with NC leaders. NC General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi said after the meeting that his party has yet to study the Maoist proposal.
A meeting of the three largest political parties scheduled for Tuesday will deliberate the draft proposal amended by the Maoists.
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