Marked progress in peace process by Aug 31: Dahal
Useful Links
» A new way to read online, exact replica of your daily and magazine
» For all you tweety fans out there!
» Allows you to find only those news from any date you choose!
» Search any news/ articles by author/ category/ date/ keyword
KATHMANDU, AUG 01 - With a view to ending the escalating spat between the two ruling parties—UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML—Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday tried to downplay differences between the two parties and said substantial progress will be made on the peace and constitution writing processes by Aug 31.
Dahal’s conciliatory tone came in a hastily organised press conference at the party headquarters at Paris Danda only after Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal assured him that a new team of Maoist ministers would be sworn in, according to party sources. Dahal had telephoned Khanal and during the conversation, Khanal assured the Maoist chairman that he would induct the new ministers by 5 pm on Monday, a source said.
In the press conference, Dahal said the party’s decision to withdraw ministers from the government was “aimed at assisting Khanal.”
The press conference followed three rounds of talks with Khanal since Saturday evening—in which the two leaders discussed ways to make the induction of new ministers “more palatable” for the main opposition party, Nepali Congress. The NC is up in arms over the issue and has been obstructing proceedings in the parliament.
Dahal also tried to clear the air over the reshuffling of his party’s representation in the Cabinet—portraying it as an effort to “correct” the party’s failure to send an inclusive team. “We decided to send a new and inclusive team in the government, and it does not mean that we are against national consensus government,” Dahal said. Dahal also said his party will withdraw the resignation of ministers if Khanal swears in the new ministers—in a way suggesting that fewer new ministers may be sworn in than endorsed by the Maoist Central Committee meeting on July 23.
On Saturday, Dahal handed over to Khanal the resignation of all the Maoist ministers.
Asked what the Maoists will do if Khanal refuses to swear in their new ministers, he said they will take a “stern decision” and withdraw support to the government. Dahal said their top priority was the formation of a national consensus government as per the five-point deal and that they are willing to abandon the government the moment an agreement on such a government is had.
Posted on: 2011-08-01 08:57
Post Your Comment