Talks on basis of Jan 19 accord: NC, UML

KATHMANDU, March 13The ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have decided to hold negotiations with the opposition parties on disputed issues in statute writing on the basis of understanding reached between the four major political forces on January 19.

A meeting of the two parties held at the prime minister's official residence in Baluwatar on Thursday decided that talks would be held on the basis of the January 19 understanding and the nine-point joint proposal floated by the ruling parties. The ruling parties are preparing to hold formal talks with the opposition alliance led by the UCPN (Maoist) on Friday morning.
NC is scheduled to hold a meeting with Madhes-based parties at 9 am, while the UML is holding talks with UCPN (Maoist) before sitting for four-party formal negotiations.

“We have decided that we would seek consensus with opposition parties on the basis of nine-point joint proposal forwarded by Nepali Congress and CPN-UML to the Constitutional, Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee under the CA and the January 19 understanding between the four major political forces,” said senior UML leader Jhala Nath Khanal.

“Both the parties are for seeking consensus on the basis of the NC-UML joint proposal and the January 19 understanding,” said UML General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel.

However, NC spokesperson Dilendra Prasad Badu said they would exercise maximum flexibility on disputed issues in order to forge consensus with the opposition parties. “We have already reached consensus on the system of governance, electoral system and judiciary. We will try to reach consensus on the remaining issues with utmost flexibility,” he said.

As the ruling and opposition parties differ sharply on five Tarai districts, the two ruling parties are open to holding discussions on possible alternatives such as holding referendum at local level or giving the boundary demarcation responsibility to federal or technical commission.

On January 19, the UCPN (Maoist) had expressed willingness to accept improved parliamentary system with reservations while NC and the UML had agreed to go for mixed-electoral system. But the parties continued to be at odds over the percentage of proportional representation.

Although NC and UML were against forming a Constitutional Court, the two parties had later agreed to allow such a court to function for 10 years as demanded by the UCPN (Maoist).

Sources said the two parties are unanimous in that the constitution making process should not be prolonged in the name of consensus. “We are ready for consensus. But we cannot wait indefinitely in the name of consensus,” said UML General Secretary Pokharel.