Maoists to boycott presidential address

Kathmandu, 9 July: Maoists are preparing to boycott President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s address to parliament Thursday in the afternoon.
Maoists, the main opposition and the largest party in parliament, will be represented by only a few members protesting what they call a presidential coup.
Unified CPN (Maoist) opposed presidential intervention to retain sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal.
Prssident Dr Yadav will present the government’s programmes and policies.
Cabinet Wednesday approved the programme and policy.
Maoists, after a two-month disruption, this week stopped the disruption to let the government present the annual budget in the legislature.
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Maoists move office headquarters to own building

Kathmandu, 9 July: Maoists Wednesday shifted their headquarters from a rented complex at Buddhanagar to their own Rs 30 million building at Koteshwor.
Chairman Prachanda inaugurated the new office complex bought by All Nepal National Trade Union Federation (Revolutionary) two months ago.
The trade union is affiliated with UCPN (Maoist).
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Govt. appointments

Kathmandu, 9 July: Chiranjibi Nepal was appointed foreign ministry advisor by the cabinet Wednesday.
Diganbar Raya is the chairman of the Extended Janakpur Development Committee.
Prof Surya Prasad Subedi has been selected member of International Law Commission.
Chairman Om Gurung of the committee to reform list of indigenous castes and castes has been given state minister rank.
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Sujata Koirala leaving on first foreign outing

Kathmandu, 9 July: Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala leaves Thursday for Portugal in her first foreign outing.
She will attend a meeting there of member countries of the ‘Community of Democracies’.
The meeting will discuss progress and difficulties in promoting democracy in member countries, according to the foreign ministry.
Sujata will proceed to Egypt from Portugal to attend a summit on non-aligned countries.
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Administrative committee to recommend secretary appointments


Kathmandu, 9 July: Cabinet’s administrative committee meeting Thursday is meeting to recommend the appointment of 22 secretaries to vacant positions.
A committee has recommended 62 names for top positions in government.
Cabinet Wednesday asked the administrative committee to suggest names for promotions.
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Task force recommendation

Kathmandu, 9 July: A task force headed by Pushpa Rajkarnikar Wednesday submitted a draft of a new foreign investment and technology transfer policy to Industry Minister Mahendra Raya Yadav.
The recommendation opens all industries, except cottage and micro enterprises, for foreign investors.
Non-resident Nepalis have been bracketed as foreign investors.
“NRNs will be given all facilities enjoyed by foreign investors,” Rajkarnikar said.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“..the former rebels [Maoists] have largely desisted from personal attacks on the former king. Instead, they have chosen to zero in on the presidential-rule bogey.”

(Maila Baje, People’s Review, 9 July)3

“As the largest party in parliament, it (Maoists) had failed to lead the government when it had got the opportunity.”

(CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel, The Himalayan Times, 9 July)

“NHRC cautions that such activities [of government for appointing or promoting officials under investigation of rights abuses] can increase impunity and raise questions about the government’s commitment to protection of human rights.”

(Recommendation of the rights protection body, The Kathmandu Post, 9 July)
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