Girija, Prachanda meet

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 19 Dec: Amid escalating crisis, three major parties are meeting later Saturday to again attempt to find an outlet to a continuing political salemate.
Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal are also to hold discussions Saturday in an effort to end a prolonged deadlock one day after a meeting between Koirala and Chairman Prachanda.
The Maoist chairman sounded a pessimistic note after the talks saying there was little chance of a breakthrough following a 30-minute discussion.
Koirala and Prachanda held discussions formation high-level political mechanism even as scheduled three-party talks failed to materialize this week following stiff Nepali Congress position Maoists immediately stop declarations of federal autonomous republics and seizure of government and private land nationwide.
Koirala and Prachanda reviewed recommendations of a six-member task force the three parties entrusted with responsibility to suggest a package to break the impasse, the Maoist chairman said.
Koirala asked Prachanda to withdraw a continuous three-day anti-government and anti-president Maoist nation-wide strike beginning Sunday.
The strike climaxes the third phase Maoist anti-government and anti-president protest.
FNCCI asked government to provide security as it will defy the Maoist forced closure.
nnnn

Maoists declare Madesh autonomous region

Kathmandu, 19 Dec: Maoists Friday declared a federal Madesh autonomous region in Janakpur.
Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai declared the region amid protests of terai-based parties saying it was an alert to the government which was delaying implementing a federal structure.
Maoists have been charged for subverting the role of the constituent assembly.
Maoists have gone one step ahead of other parties to push a federal structure.
Other parties have protested the Maoist move even as they push federalism.
nnnn