Coca-Cola SABCO has new Nepal chief

Kathmandu, 12 March: Saumindra Bhattacharya has been appointed Nepal country manager of Coca-Cola SABCO and managing director of Bottlers Nepal Ltd, the company said.
Bottlers Nepal Ltd is the sole franchise of Coca-Cola in Nepal.
Coca-Cola SABCO sold off 22 percent stake in BNL to Mutual Trading Company, a subsidiary of the Khetan Group, in February.
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Nepal reaffirms one China policy

Kathmandu, 12 March: Nepal has reaffirmed its one China policy by opposing a proposed referendum in Taiwan to join the UN in the name of the island republic.
Such an exercise, the foreign ministry said, will be an ‘act of destabilization across the Taiwan Straits’ and will create tension in the region.
The Ministry said People’s Republic of China is the ‘sole and legitimate representative of China’.
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New UN coordinator assumes office

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 12 March: Robert Piper, an Australian national, took over responsibilities of coordinator of US system's operations in Nepal Tuesday.
The coordinator, previously called resident representative of the UNDP, was the chief UN representative in Nepal until UNMIN came in mid-2006 to help the peace process and monitor twice-postponed elections now being held 10 April.
UNMIN Ian Martin is the chief representative of the secretary general and now ranks above the coordinator.
Martin is a lateral entrant in the UN system and was recruited from Amnesty International.
Piper assumed responsibility at a difficult time in Nepal for the UN after presenting his credentials to Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan.
The UN is now embroiled in a controversy on the number of casualties in an UNMIN helicopter this month that the UN said claimed 10 lives; the home ministry said 12 persons were killed.
The UN has also been criticized for its air operating in Nepal without coordinating with Nepal Civil Aviation Authority.
Besides, Maoists continue to be armed outside seven UN-administered cantonments even though the main responsibility entrusted to the UN was to disarm the combatants.
UNMIN has been silent on Maoist arms outside the camps as doubts have arisen on the credibility of elections with the participation by armed Maoists.
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Nepal’s Maoists, Naxalites have no ties

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 12 March: The Indian Government Tuesday made yet another unconvincing attempt to give the impression there’s no direct link between Nepal’s Maoists and Indian Naxalites.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the communist insurgency as India’s worst internal problem—even more serious that the Muslim insurgency and the independence movement in Kashmir and the tribal movements in the northeastern states.
Home Minister Shibaraj Patil told parliament Tuesday Naxalites have no ties with Nepal’s Maoists.
“There is no connection between the Naxlites and Maoists of Nepal," he said.
He said this after first now accepting Maoists and Naxalites have only ideological links from the Himalaya bordering China to Kanya Kumari in south India spreading over at least 16 states.
India brokered an agreement with Nepalese government of Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoists even as it refuses to negotiate an agreement with Naxalites.
In Nepal, Maoists have again identified India as their main enemy even though New Delhi helped broker a peace agreement between Nepal government and Maoists who were conducting an insurgency using India as their base. Maoists have again identified India as an expansionist force even as they colluded with officials in New Delhi to come to power in Kathmandu after a military effort didn’t pay dividends.
In a strategic move, India thought it could cutoff links between Maoists and Naxalites after the Nepali insurgents were brought into the political mainstream.
The peace agreement has run into rough weather.
Minister Singh was also attempting to deny a BJP charge Maoists and Naxilites have direct links that will destabilize India.
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Jobseekers for Korea face language test

Kathmandu, 12 March: Nepali and South Korean officials on Monday jointly decided to conduct the Korean Language Test for Nepali job aspirants on 29 March, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Thirty exam centers have been designated across the Kathmandu Valley.
The government expects about 40,000 candidates to appear in the exam, which is going to be conducted by Tribhuvan University.
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Upendra Yadav in New Delhi

Kathmandu, 12 March; Madesh Janatantrik Forum Chairman Upendra Yadav is currently in New Delhi and returns after consultations with officials Wednesday, Janaastha reports.
He followed Sujata Koirala to the Indian capital.
Yadv is challenging Sujata from an electoral constituency in Sunsari in vacated by her father.
Aging and sick Koirala, 84, told reporters Tuesday he quit and hand-over responsibilities to a new generation following the 10 April election.
He didn’t name his successor.
For the first time, Koirala isn’t contesting direct elections.
Koirala’s name has been included in a closed list for indirect elections for which 335 seats have allotted.
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PM Koirala gets military guard

Kathmandu, 12 March: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's police guard was replaced by a 106- military and police unit headed by Major Suraj Raut Saturday at Baluwatar, Janaastha reports.
The new unit will report to the chief of the army staff and not the home minister to whom police earlier reported.
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Thakur objections

Kathmandu, 12 March: Mahanta Thakur who defected to the terai from the Congress said in a statement Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s statement was ‘ surprising’ and was against the ‘sprit of the agreement’ and ‘would spoil environment for elections’.
The agreement calls for negotiations between government and the rebel groups waging a struggle for independence and called for the implementation of the agreement.
Government has rejected UN mediation.
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