“Don’t expect the PLA combatants to leave the cantonments if NC is not ready to accept executive presidential system,” a top NC leader quoted Dahal as saying at a meeting held at Dahal’s residence at Naya Bazar on Tuesday.[break]
The largest party in the CA, UCPN (Maoist) and the second largest party, NC, are at loggerheads over the system of governance. While the UCPN (Maoist) wants to replace the current Westminster model with a directly-elected presidential system, the NC remains vehemently opposed to the idea.
NC has, however, indicated that it is willing to divide powers between a constitutional president elected through an extended electoral college and a powerful prime minsiter elected by parliament.
Meanwhile, top leaders of NC and CPN-UML are meeting on Saturday to discuss the delay in the peace process and the Maoist leaders’ warning to stall the peace process.
“We will discuss the peace process and constitution writing with CPN-UML leaders on Saturday,” said NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel. “We are concerned over the remarks by Maoist leaders [to stall the peace process if there is no agreement on the directly-elected presidential system].”
CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal said both the parties are planning to hold a meeting with UCPN (Maoist) on Saturday. “We are concerned over the delay in the peace process and non-implementation of the November 1 seven-point agreement. We will raise these issues seriously with the Maoist leaders,” said Rawal.
The NC and CPN-UML are particularly concerned over the delay in giving voluntary retirement to the Maoist combatants and starting the integration process. Though the categorization of the Maoist combatants completed in early December, the process of management of the Maoist army has not yet begun.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, speaking in Gorkha on Friday, said this difference between the two parties over the system of governance has led to a deadlock in constitution writing process. He also urged the NC to be flexible and agree on the directly-elected presidential system.
Meanwhile, Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha told Republica that the government and the Maoists are working to arrange a meeting of top leaders of the major parties outside Kathmandu to hold serious talks on contentious issues of the peace process and constitution drafting.
“We are planning to hold the meeting next week, probably after completion of our party’s central committee meeting,” said Shrestha, who is also the deputy prime minister and foreign minister. “It has become urgent for the core leaders of all the parties to sit together for some days outside Kathmandu to settle all the contentious issues and move ahead.”
According to sources, the UCPN (Maoist) wants to reopen negotiations on standard norms related to education and ranks to be given to the Maoist combatants after integration in the national army.
Related story
Let’s live in peace and embrace diversity
