KATHMANDU, JAN 19 - Defense Minister Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Tuesday said all the decisions Prime Minister makes cannot be implemented, and that her ministry does not have any obligation to integrate the Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army (NA).

Expressing her dissatisfaction over not including the Defense Ministry and NA representatives in the special committee formed for the army integration, Bhandari argued that since it was not mentioned in the Comprehensive Peace Accord the integration of former Maoist fighter into the national army was not compulsory even if the army integration special committee decides to do so.

The prime minister also should listen to the concerned bodies, said she at the press meet organised at her office in Singhadurbar today.

She remarked that the Maoist fighters can be taken up in the NA, like ordinary citizens, if they meet criteria and are eligible.

She said the government will provide both lethal and non-lethal weapons to the NA as per their requirements.

Also on the occasion, she reiterated to open vacancies in the NA.

“There are altogether 95,753 seats in the NA and we will fill up the vacant seats. But we won’t recruit a single more person in the NA that has altogether 95,753 seats,” added the Defense Minister.

Posted on: 2010-01-20 01:08

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