PM Prachanda begins consultations

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 11 Oct: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda Saturday began political discussions, including government expansion, with party leaders to remove hurdles for the smooth functioning of government.
In a three-hour meeting with Madhav Kumar Nepal, Prachanda proposed to appoint the former CPN-UML General Secretary coordinator of a powerful committee to run the Maoist-led government.
Prachanda also proposed at Nepal’s residence he could head a constitution drafting committee.
Prachanda also asked Nepal to contest by-elections in which Maoists offered to lend support to the CPN-UML leader.
Nepal didn’t immediately give his reaction to Prachanda’s request to take up active politics after losing the 10 April CA election from two constituencies.
Discussions were held with Sarita Giri, general secretary of NSP (Debi) as dasain celebrations nears conclusion.
Prachanda asked NSP (Debi to join a national government—an offer ejected by her.
Saturday is the 12th day on dasain as tika continues.
The government chief also held discussions with Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam with whom the security situation was reviewed.
Prachanda and Gautam agreed to crackdown on tarai rebels who refuse to sit down for talks to resolve the rebellion in the south.
Prachanda discussed unity between CPN (Maoist) and CPN (Unity Center/ Mashal) with Mashal General Secretary Narayan Kazi Shrestha.
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Delay in delivering bodies of Lukla air victims to families

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 11 Oct: Without identification, The TU Teaching Hospital is facing difficulties in handing over bodies of 14 foreigners and one Nepali of the Lukla air crash to near and dear ones, the hospital said Saturday.
Eighteen foreigners, mostly Germans, and four Nepalis were killed in the Yeti Airlines Twin Otter crash at Lukla while landing Thursday.
German forensic experts have begun assisting in identifying the crash victims.
Deputy Attorney General Pushpa Raj Koirala and head of a five-member crash investigation team flew to crash site at the foot of Mount Everest Saturday for an on-the-spot investigation.
Trekkers of the German Hauser group flew to the second most popular destination in Nepal to begin their hike.
The Everest region is the most popular trekking circuit after the Annapurna trek.
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CPN-UML central committee meet begins

Kathmandu, 12Oct: A two-day central committee meeting of CPN-UML began Sunday.
The meeting will discuss the national meet of workers being held in the capital for the first time in six years for two days from 15 November.
The central committee will also discuss a political report of General-Secretary Jhalanath Khanal.
A standing committee Saturday adopted the meeting’s agenda.
The national meet is being held ahead of party general convention.
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.Nepali student killed in USA cremated; another Nepali killed in Iraq

Kathmandu, 12 Oct:: Ashok Bhattarai, 21, a student who was shot dead at a store in Missouri City, Texas, 28 September was cremated at Pashupati Aryaghat Saturday.
Suspect Raymond Whitcher, 17, has been arrested after robbing $ 5,000 from the store.
A Nepali citizen, Gautam Raj Karki, was killed last week in Kirkum when an unidentified gang attacked the camp he was working in with rocket launchers, Devendra Bhattarai reports in The Kathmandu Post from Qatar.
While staying inside the camp, Karki along with other three Bengalis had sustained serious injuries from a missile attack at around 9.30 PM on Sept 29.
Karki was rushed to the hospital inside the base camp but was declared dead immediately.
His body has been sent to Kuwait two days ago in order to be dispatched to Nepal.
Karki, who reached Iraq three months ago by spending around Rs 200,000 was involved in escorting Iraqi nationals to enter and exit from the US base camp where he died.
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.Govt. negotiators in tarai to establish contacts with rebels; other details

Kathmandu, 12 Oct: Government negotiators and ministers Ram Chandra Jha and Renu Yadav, who hail from the south, are in the tarai to establish contacts with rebel groups for negotiations.
Peace Minister and head of the three-member Janardhan Sharma Prabhakar revealed this Saturday.
“I don’t have direct contact with any group; but two committee members have established unofficial contact,” Sharma said.
Government offered to talk without facilitators.
NSP (Debi) General Secretary Sarita Giri said there’s no government in eight tarai districts where the insurgency has intensified.
Janamorcha Nepal activist was abducted by an armed group from Siraha overnight.
Virus Killers, one of nearly two dozen groups operating in the region, has accepted government offer for talks setting six conditions, including security guarantee..
Rajan Group of Janatantrik Tarai MUkti Morcha said it’s also ready for talks.
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Political committee for integration of Nepal Army, PLA

Kathmandu, 12 Oct: Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa “Baal” told reporters in Pokhara Saturday a special political committee will be formed after tihar for the integration of Nepal Army and Maoist PLA.
The committee will establish parameters for integration, he said.
“Nepali Congress is creating obstacles by saying there shouldn’t be integration,” the defence minister said and asked political parties to be serious on the issue..” Basic agreement has been reached for integration has been reached. The process won’t stop just because the Congress says so.”
‘Since the nation has the national army, it doesn’t require Maoist PLA soldiers,” Congress Acting President Sushil Koirala said in Banke Saturday.
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Dr Baburam Bhattarai abandoning communist for industrial capitalism?

Kathmandu, 12 Oct: At home, CPN (Maoist) leaders resort to fudge and often conflicting viewpoints to expound their vision for a new Nepal, The Kathmandu Post reports from Washington.
But in the US, visiting Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai was frank enough to admit that the ultimate goal of his party is to establish communist rule in Nepal. However, he was quick to add that his party is in no hurry to do that..
“Our focus is to completely uproot feudalism and embark the country on to the industrial capitalism,” he said at a function here Thursday. “It is up to our children and grandchildren to decide onif they wished to switch to communist.”
Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has asked the international community
To extend more assistance to the Nepal for education, health and social security, Girish Pokhrel reports from Washington DC in The Rising Nepal.
He made the request at the eighth annual meting of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
According to him, Nepal required Rs 30 billion for free education up to grade V and additional Rs 18 billion for free education up to higher secondary level.
Responding to a question regarding the possible impact of the global recession on Nepal, he said that it would have less impact on the developing countries as compared to the developed countries.
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North Korea, Nepal, Maoists terrorists and USA

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 12 Sept: USA has dropped North Korea from its terrorist blacklist.
The removal is only provisional, AP said quoting unnamed US officials.
North Korea would return to the list if it fails to comply with inspections of its nuclear facilities as part of the effort to get it to abandon atomic weapons, the agency reports.
Nepal is not on Washington’s list but the largest political party, CPN (Maoist), leading ruling a coalition, is.
Maoists have repeatedly asked Washington to take them off the list but US hasn’t responded.
After Maoists emerged as the largest political party, USA established direct contact with the CPN (Maoist) for the first time after shunning
Then even as they joined the peace process in April 2005.
USA has only said it will continue to assist Nepal.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda was invited to a reception by President George W Bush when both leaders were in New York this month to address the UN general session.
Prachanda also held discussions with US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Richard Baucher, who also met Maoist Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai in New York.
Washington hasn’t said so.
But USA, as a pre-condition, could demand action against Maoists who killed two Nepali security personnel attached with the US embassy and bombers of the American Cultural Center during the insurgency before 2005.
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