First year after declaration of republic not encouraging: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 29 May: The first year after the declaration of a republic by the constituent assembly wasn’t encouraging, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav said.
‘In one year, we repeatedly emphasized understanding cooperation; the first year after announcing a republic wasn’t encouraging without them.
“The flower should be nurtured through cooperation,” he said as the nation Friday celebrated the first anniversary of its declaration.
“Our main responsibility now is to complete the peace process and draft a new constitution for which, I am confident, all will cooperate.”
Dr Yadav said the much flouted ‘civilian supremacy’ can become a reality only when fundamentals of democracy like rule of law, press freedom, judicial independence, foredoom of expression and human rights are respected by government.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal laid the foundation stone of a republic pillar Friday at Ratna Park after overturning a Maoist decision to erect it in Narayanhiti, which has been declared a national museum after then King Gyanendra vacated it.
Friday has been declared a national holiday.
“CPN-UML is efforting the birth of a baby king from Narayanhiti,” Maoist Spokesman Dinanath Sharma said Thursday after a party secretariat meeting.
Nepal government Friday released 126 prisoners after commuting their remaining sentences.
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Nepali Congress, MJF discussing joining government

Kathmandu, 29 May: Nepali Congress and MJF central committees are discussing joining the CPN-UML government Friday.
CPN-UML and Congress leaders Thursday agreed to share ministerial berths on the strength of parties in parliament and constituent assembly.
Congress, CPN-UML, MJF and TMLP are the second, third, fourth and fifth largest parties with 114, 108, 53 and 21 seats each in the legislature.
Fringe parties like RPP, discarded after the 2006 successful anti-monarchy protests, are likely to join government for the first time indicating a remarkable turnaround in Nepali politics.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Thursday night drove to Maoist Chairman Prachanda’s residence and sought cooperation.
The mantra then of Girija Prasad Koirala was unity of seven parties, including Maoists, for another decade to write a democratic constitution to institutionalize.
Politics changed after Maoists swept the 10 April 2008 first constituent assembly elections.
Politics of consensus was abandoned by immediately amending the interim constitution to pave way for a majority government through elections in parliament.
The ousted Prachanda government was installed nine months after formation to be replaced by a government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal.
There are fears a constitution won’t be drafted within the May 2010 deadline with the abandonment of consensus politics and parties trade accusations for sidelining consensus politics.
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Sagarmatha Day being observed

Kathmandu, 29 May: Sagarmatha Day is being observed Friday to commemorate the historic ascent of the world’s tallest peak Mount Everest 56 years after its climb by Tenzing Sherpa and Edmund Hillary.
A reception is being held at army headquarters later Friday by tourist and mountaineering-related organizations.
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PLA security strengthened for Prachanda

Kathmandu, 29 May: Three weeks after UCPN (Maoist) quit the government, its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Headquarters has made changes in the key positions of all seven Maoist cantonments sites in order to control the chain of command in the cantonments, The Kathmandu Post reports.
“It is natural for friendship to develop between combatants and commanders if they remain in the same place for a long time,” a PLA section commander said.
The PLA general staff meeting held last week also strengthened the security of the Maoist party by handing over the responsibility security of Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to Santu Durai, division commander of the first Maoist cantonment division
His security staff strength has been increased to 70 personnel from the earlier 50 keeping in mind the sensitivity of the current situation.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Hotels worried by US advisory

Kathmandu, 29 May: Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) Thursday said it was worried by a 22 May US Department of State travel advisory cautioning US citizens against traveling to Nepal.
The association of Nepali hotels asked government agencies to conduct talks with US government to rescind the order.
“Political changes are normal in all democratic countries. There is no insecurity, uproar and turmoil,” the association said in a statement.
The travel advisory was issued after the fall of the Maoist-led government of Prachanda.
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Another Pilatus Porter joins Yeti Airlines fleet

Kathmandu, 29May: A Pilatus Porter has been added to the Yeti Airlines fleet with plans to buy two more such aircraft.
The airline plans to resume STOL operations to remote hill districts with the acquisition on the aircraft.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“ Twenty-three presidents, including chairman of constitution committee Madhav Kumar Nepal, Maoist whip Jayapuri Gharti, Congress whip Shobakar Parajuli and CPN-UML whip Thammaya Thapa have collected money in the name of two drivers each.”

(A sub-heading in Naya Patrika, 29 May)

“When the history of Nepal’s peace process is written, the record will show that through some very difficult moments, the NA and Maoists continued to comply with the AMMAA (Agreement on the Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies) and continued to take part in this forum [ joint monitoring coordination committee].

(UNMIN Chief Karin Landgren speaking at the 100th meeting of JMCC, The Kathmandu Post, 29 May)
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