Nepal, China security accord

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: China agreed in Bejing Tuesday to provide Nepal Police with equipment worth two million yuan equivalent to Rs 20 million.
China will provide Nepal Police vehicles and communication equipment.
Visiting Home Minister Bhim Rawal and Chinese Minister for Public Security Meng Jiazhu at a meeting agreed to cooperate to prevent and combat transnational crime.
The two sides signed minutes of the talks following the agreement.
China has proposed the two countries sign an extradition treaty.
The two countries agreed to establish a communication mechanism for border policing along the Nepal-Tibet frontier.
A team headed by secretaries will prepare a mechanism to curb boirder crime.
Nepal reiterated its One China policy assuring China its territory won’t be permitted for hostile activities against the northern neighbour.
Rawal, on a six-day visit, said security cooperation between the two countries has reached a new height.
Nepal sought Chinese assistance to establish an academy for Armed
Police Force.
Nepal asked China to ease visa regulations for Nepalis visiting Hong Kong and provide grazing facilities for farmers across the border in
Tibet.
nnnn


Bidya Bhandari rejects allegations NA abused human rights

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: Defence Minister Bidya Bhandari at a meeting with British Army Chief Gen Sir David Julian Roberts Tuesday strongly defended Nepal Army action during the 10-year Maoist people’s war denying reports the state army had abused human rights.
‘The minister explained to the visiting general charges faced by army personnel for the murder of Maina Sunwar. She said that three soldiers found guilty by the army’s internal court of inquiry has already been punished,” said Defence Minister’s Press Advisor Subash Debkota, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Bhandari also defended Maj Niranjan Basnet sent back by the UN from Chad where he was attached with the Nepali Army contingent of a UN peacekeeping force.
Basnet has been cleared by the army for the death of Sunwar in military custody.
Roberts showed interest in restructuring the defence ministry which oversees NA.
“A separate task force for conducting necessary evaluation of a
costing required for the restructuring of the ministry will arrive here in Nepal soon after Richards’ return to the UK,” Debkota said, according to The Rising Nepal..
The army chief handed over an annual review of British Gurkhas in the British army to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Tuesday.
Richards leaves for home Wednesday.
Nnnn

Capital records 20mm rainfall

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: The capital recorded 20mm rainfall Tuesday—the highest winter rain in four years.
Mercury fell to 1.5 degrees Celsius in the capital Tuesday following rain.
nnnn
Nepali Congress general convention date again rescheduled

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: Nepali Congress 12th general convention is being rescheduled for the third time.
Central members agreed Tuesday to reschedule the convention saying preparations were incomplete.
‘The meeting of the central committee Thursday will fix the new date for the general convention,” said party spokesman Arjun Narsingh KC afteraa meeting.
The meeting was scheduled to be held in the capital from
10 to 14 March.
nnnn

Bhutan invites Nepal to attend Bhutan SAARC summit

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: Bhutan’s Minister for Economic Affairs Khandu Wangchuk Wednesday delivered an invitation to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to attend the two day 16th SAARC summit in Thimpu from 28 April.
Wangchuk arrived Tuesday as a special envoy of the Bhutanese prime minister to deliver the invitation.
Nnnn



China hands over building to Nepal

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: Chinese Ambassador Qiu Guohong Tuesday handed over the building of Nature Conservation Fund, previously King
Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation, to Nepal.
Fund Patron and Forest Minister Dipak Bohara received the building in the
presence of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
China started building construction in November 2005.
nnnn


APF to be deployed in Haiti for first time

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: United Nations has agreement to the deployment of Armed Police Force (APF) in its Haiti mission, Rajdhani reports.
A 160-member contingent is being sent there.
APF was previously deployed only in Liberia.
nnnn


TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY


Nepali trade team visiting USA

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: A government team is leaving for the USA to
push trade and investments, Annapurna Post reports.
The team will be led Commerce and Supply Minister Rajendra Mahato.
The team will discuss declining Nepali garment exports to USA.
Nepal has already handed over a draft of a proposed trade agreement to
USA.
Nnnn

A Rs 335 billion budget for fiscal year 2010/11

Kathmandu, 10 Feb.: Government is preparing to present a budget of
Rs 335.57 billion for the fiscal year 2010/11, Nagarik reports.
The current budget is Rs 285.93 billion.
The budget for the next fiscal year was fixed after first round consultations between finance ministry and national planning commission.
The target could be restructured following further discussions.
nnnn




MEDIA GOOGLE

“Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar Tuesday said the constitution can be promulgated within 10 days if there is consensus among the major political parties.”

(RSS report in The Rising Nepal, 10 Feb.)
nnnn