E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, DEC 04 - Nepali Congress General Secretary Prakash Man Singh has said Ram Chandra Poudel is the party's legitimate prime ministerial candidate if the political parties agree to form a national consensus government under the NC.

"For the time being, there is no alternative to fielding Parliamentary Party Leader Poudel as the prime ministerial candidate if the NC gets an opportunity to lead a consensus government," Singh, who is close to Party President Sushil Koirala, said. "We won't support a Maoist-led consensus government unless the peace process reaches an irreversible point."

With talks on consensus government commencing, the NC leadership finds itself in a difficult position as the party is tackling a factional fight. Coincidentally, as negotiations for forging a government have begun, NC senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, who was the party's official candidate for consensus government earlier, is outside Kathmandu on a week-long visit of far-western districts. His decision to go on the visit is said to have followed a failed negotiation bid for ending intra-party disputes.

Sources close to the establishment faction said the party envisions two stages of NC-led government over the next one year. The first one, on which the parties have started discussions, would be in place till the promulgation of the constitution and the second one would be formed under the new constitution and end with the handing over of powers to an elected government. NC leaders said Party President Koirala could lead the government during a general election to be held after enforcing the constitution, and not now.

US willing to bolster NA's disaster response capability: Visiting general

POST REPORT

KATHMANDU, DEC 4

The visiting commanding general of the US Army Pacific Command Lt Gen Francis J Wiercinski has pledged to support the Nepal Army in strengthening its disaster response capabilities.

Gen Wiercinski made this commitment during separate meetings with Chief of Army Staff Chhatra Man Singh Gurung and Defence Secretary Nabin Kumar Ghimire. The assurance comes amid Nepal Army's preparations to form a non-combat directorate responsible for rescue and relief operations for integrating ex-Maoist combatants.

"It was a courtesy call. He said Nepal is an earthquake-prone country and reiterated his country's willingness to support disaster response capabilities of the Nepal Army," Defence Secretary Ghimire said. During the 30-minute meeting, Ghimire appreciated training opportunities provided by the US government for Nepali soldiers and also informed the visiting general of the efforts being made to enhance the Defence Ministry.

Also on Sunday, Wiercinski paid a courtesy call on Army Chief Gurung and held an interaction with the PSOs, which include major generals and their seniors, at the Army headquarters. During the discussion, he said the US army was willing to expand its cooperation in enhancing NA's capacity to respond to major disasters, according to Army Spokesperson Ramindra Chhetri.

Posted on: 2011-12-04 10:43

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