KATHMANDU, May 11: Prime Minister and chairman of the UCPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal and senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai held discussions with the representatives of the European Union (EU) missions and donor agencies in Nepal and ambassadors on Monday morning.
Some 25 representatives were called at the Prime Minister´s residence in Baluwatar for a ´briefing´ on the postponement of the Nepal Development Forum (NDF) meet, Nicole Chulick, the Information Officer of the US Embassy said.
The NDF meet, which was scheduled for May 12-14, was postponed after the Maoist-led government collapsed on May 4. The date for the meet was set after a gap of almost 4 or 5 years. Dr Bhattarai in his capacity as the Finance Minister was to deliver the main development strategy paper during the NDF.
Addressing the growing concerns of the representatives over the delay in holding the NDF meet, Dr Bhattarai is believed to have told them that the NDF was put off due to adverse political development and that the meeting would be given continuity in a new way and a new date will be set soon.
Dr Bhattarai expressed hope that the international community and the donor agencies would continue to extend positive help to Nepal.
Besides the NDF issue, the discussion with the envoys revolved around the controversial Shaktikhor tape and the political situation facing the country.
“The postponement of NDF meeting, the tape row and present political situation figured during the talks with the envoys and the donors,” Om Sharma, press advisor to the Prime Minister, said.
The leaders assured the diplomats and the donors of Maoist commitment to multiparty democracy and peace process in Nepal, said press officer at the British embassy Ajay Das.
Dr Bhattarai said that as soon as the "unconstitutional move" of President Dr Ram Baram Yadav is rectified, the process to form a new government would start.
Regarding the inflated number of People´s Liberation Army (PLA) combatants, which figured in the video tape released a week ago, the Prime Minister told the envoys that he was referring to the central army and that total strength Maoist soldiers at central, regional and local level was more than 100,000 at that time. He also said only 25-30 thousands central and regional combatants were taken into consideration during the verification.
“The representatives present during the meeting are now clear and satisfied with the explanation,” Dr Bhattarai was quoted as saying in his personal website.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, DFID, UNDP, and envoys from US, the UK and other European nations.
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