Alcohol banned at government receptions for foreigners

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Alcohol has been banned at receptions for foreigners organized by the foreign ministry as an austerity measure, Annapurna Post reports.
But liquor will be served during receptions on state visits.
No liquor was served at a dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav for visiting former Indian President Dr APJ Abdul Kamal.
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Indian minister to bring warring parties closer

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Indian Foreign Minister
Praanab Mukherjee arrives for a three-day official visit for crucial discussions with Nepali top leaders at a time when the political crisis in brewing.
Mukherjee, deeply involved in the planning and nurturing of a republic since late 2004/005, is expected to help narrow the differences between Nepal’s major political players to ensure stability and reinforcement of a republican political structure.
The visiting minister will review the 22-point agreement signed by Prime Minister Prachanda and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh in New Delhi in September.
He will hold discussions with leaders of major political parties, including main opposition leader Girija Prasad Koirala and CPN-UML General Secretary Jhalanaath Khanal and terai based parties.
Coalition partners of Maoists have threatened to opt out of government if CPN (Maoist) doesn’t mend is ways and Nepali Congress had withheld cooperation putting the Prachanda government in crisis.
The deadline to draft a constitution in another 18 months may not with differences widening between Maoists and Nepali Congress which said it will prevent integration of PLA with Nepal Army jeopardizing the completion of the peace process.
Nepal will not raise the tricky issue of review of the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship even as New Delhi says it’s ready to reconsider it, Annapurna Post, a newspaper close to the Indian embassy reports .
The Treaty gives Indian ‘special’ rights in Nepal.
Nepal will propose local and central control mechanism for the resolution of border issues while raising the Indian encroachment in Kalapani and Susta, Padumna Bikram Shah, joint secretary a the foreign ministry said.
British Minister for International Development Mike Foster is also arriving Monday on a four-day visit—his first foreign trip after assuming office.
He will lend support to the tottering peace process and probably pledge additional development assistance to the Maoist-led government at a time when the government has sought additional foreign aid to invest in ambitious projects.
Danish foreign minister arrives the day Mukherjee leaves.
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Prachanda identified Congress as enemy
Kahmandu, 24 Nov: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has called Nepal Congress an enemy of the revolution, CPN-UML a very opportunistic party and terai parties reactionary agents, Naya Patrika reports.
He presented the assessment to the on-going party national meet in Bhaktapur.
Nepali Congress is the main force which represents feudals and has the blessings of imperialists and expansionists.
Without defeating Nepali Congress people’s revolution cannot be completed, Prachanda said.
Prachanda says CPN-UML favours parliamentary status quo against revolutionary Marxism and revolutionary movement polarizing thousands of revolutionaries making the party unpopular as demonstrated in recent assembly elections.
Yet Prachanda urged cooperation, working unity and joint front with the CPN-UMl..
Dahal charged Mohan Baidya Kiran’s proposal for a people’s republic ‘ is really an attempt to kill real revolution’.
Prachanda has admitted in the secret document circulated in the party the murder of trader Ram Hari Shrestha has dealt a severe blow to the party.
“Madesh is in a critical situation. Madesh Janaadhikar Forum, Terai Madessh Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and Sadbhavan are the main regional forces. These parties are formed on ethnic and emotional lines and are feudal and represent in the final analysis capitalist agents.
He added,” These parties are close to foreign reactionary political groups.”
Prachanda proposed the dissolution of the three regional bodies headed by Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Post Bahadur Bogati and its replacement by a central organization bureau to run daily party affairs.
Prachanda has also proposed a central level army integration consultation committee for unification of two opposing armies.
The chairman proposed each division of PLA should implement one development programme and combatants should undergo military training and run labour camps.
YCL should be deployed and reinforced by March /April 2009 and every unit should run one production unit.
This suggestion comes amid demands by Nepali Congress for its dissolution s a precondition for future cooperation.
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One abductor of Dr Upendra Debkota’s daughter arrested

Kathmandu, 24 Nov: Siddhartha Lama, chief abductor of neurologist Dr Upendra Debkota’s daughter Megha has been arrested by Nepal Police, Naya Parika reports.
He is being held at No. 2 Battalion.
Police followed him up to Darjeeling.
Four other suspects in he case are sill absconding.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Now it’s not enough for Nepali Congress to be in the opposition and struggle; it should also be active for such a struggle with dialogue and cooperation.”

(Congress youth leader Gagan Thapa, Naya Patrika, 24 Nov.)

“And despite commitments to establishing a transitional justice mechanisms and to enforce the rule of law, a climate of impunity continues to be pervasive.”

(OHCHR-Nepal representative Richard Bennett)

‘Now due to the fact that the Maoists are in power, the trial attorneys are much more reluctant to let the regular attorneys argue the case because Maoists aren’t killing people anymore. The immigrant judge also had a soft corner for asylum seekers at the time because there was a State Department country report which described Nepal as being in upheaval.”

(New York-based immigrant attorney Keshab Raj Seadie revealing many Nepalis sought asylum in USA during Maoist people’s war, The Kathmandu Post, 23 Nov.)

‘The PM [Prachanda] faced a lot of hostilities [at the ongoing national meet] as he was nor only booed and jeered by some of the angry workers and leaders, but was presented as a ‘revisionist’ corrupt and a nepotistic leader.”

[newsfront report , 24 Nov.)