Prachanda tells President Hu constitution drafting process delayed; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 17 Oct: Chairman Prachanda and his entire delegation held their second discussions with Chinese President and General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the 11th Chinese national games in Jinan Friday.
The meeting lasted 30 minutes at Nepal time 8 PM Friday.
An official visit of Prachanda to China as prime minister was aborted after the Prachanda-led government was voted out of office by parliament.
China had proposed signing a new peace and friendship treaty during the visit.
Prachanda and Hu first met during the opening of the Beijing Olympics.
Second-ranking leader Mohan Baidya Kiran, Foreign Department Chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara and son Prakash are accompanying Prachanda on a week-long visit.
Prachanda spent two hours with the Chinese president during the inauguration of the games, Maoist mouthpiece Janadisha quoted Mahara as saying.
Mahara told Janadisha talks centered mostly round strengthening relations between the two communist parties.
‘On our behalf, Chairman Comrade Prachanda informed President Hu of the current situation in Nepal, peace process, constitution drafting process and the delay in the constitution drafting process,” Mahara said.
Prachand told Hu Nepal needed China’s help for the peace process and constitution drafting process.
Mahara quoted Hu as saying,” Nepal’s peace process should reach a logical conclusion, the constitution should be drafted in time and Nepal should develop fast.”
HU pledged Chinese assistance for development and the peace process.
‘Both sides said relations between two parties should be intensified and it should be taken to new heights,” Mahara said.
“The leaders took part in serious discussions on South Asian political situation on the changed global political context. They also dwelt upon on the security situation of the two countries,” The Himalayan Times said quoting an unidentified Maoist source.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is scheduled to visit China in 2009.
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Public holiday on Tuesday

Kathmandu, 17 Oct: Government declared Tuesday a public holiday on Tuesday coinciding with the new year of Nepal sambat.
The Newar community had threatened to launch protests without such a declaration.
The cabinet took a decision Friday.
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God day observed

Kathmandu, 17 Oct: Kukur [dog] puja was observed Saturday on the third day of tihar.
Laxmi puja will be observed in the evening.
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Home ministry checking illegal chopper flight to restricted area with four Belgians

Kathmandu, 17 Oct: Home ministry is investigating an illegal helicopter flight to a restricted area bordering Tibet, Kantipur reports.
Simrik Air 10 October landed at the restricted area Chepuwa in Sanhuwasabha with four Belgians and one Nepali Congress lawmaker Pasang Sherpa.
Prior permission of the home ministry is needed to fly into and land in the region
“Preliminary investigation shows negligence of the helicopter pilot and the
And the civil aviation authorities,” Kantiput reports quoting an unidentified official.
But the lawmaker said they flew into the region for a feasibility study for investment in a project.
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Swine flu detected for first time outside Kathmandu

Kathmandu, 17 Oct: Swine flu case has been detected for the first time outside the capital and in Chitwan where three cases have been detected, health ministry said.
Three cases have been detected in the district.
Total cases of the disease in Nepal has now reached 44.
No deaths have been reported so far.
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Sher Bahadur Deuba meets Indian leaders

Kathmandu, 17 Oct: Former prime minister and Nepali Congress leader Sher Bahadur Deuba held discussions with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi this week, the party said.
He also held discussions with cabinet Singh’s colleagues.
The meeting comes at a time when Maoists are threatening to launch a revolt after tihar if their demand for a discussion on a censure motion against President Dr Ram Baran Yadav is disallowed by ruling parties.
Maoists said a ceremonial president acted unconstitutionally to retain sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawalk dismissed by the then Maoist-led government.
Surya Bahaur Thapa earlier held discussions on Nepal with Singh before Deuba.
Thapa later said New Delhi seeks continuity of the Madhav Kumar Nepal government,
Nepali leaders discuss internal issues particularly with India which has played an interventionist role in Nepal after the royaltakeover.
They have invited foreign interference in Nepal and even invited UN to intervene in politics.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“It’s good news that a group of leaders of the UCPN (Maoist) have started a struggle against Comrade Prachanda’s revisionist path.”

(Indian Maoist leader Ganapati, Kantipur, 17 Oct.)