PM holds collective meeting with three party leaders, other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 27 May: With just one day remaining to promulgate a constitution to institutionalize an already declared republic, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Thursday invited leaders of three big parties for a collective meeting and urged them to break a prolonged deadlock.
He held discussions with Maoist Chairman Prachanda NC Acting President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal.
Prachanda said after the meet efforts continue to find a solution.
Following two rounds of inconclusive discussions Thursday, the three parties are meeting at 11 in the morning Friday to break the impasse and avoid a constitutional and political crisis with the failure to extend a two-year constituent assembly (CA) tenure.
Maoists have demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal as a pre-condition to support an 8th amendment to the interim constitution in parliament Friday and extend the assembly’s life by one year.
Maoist support is needed the bill’s passage by a two-third vote in the 601-member parliament.
UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari charged Maoists were attempting to ‘humiliate’ the government chief.
NC and UML have demanded a package on six proposals, including fixing the number of combatants in security forces for the formation of a national government and the resignation of the premier..
A 12-point New Delhi peace agreement between Maoists and six parliamentary parties only mentions integration and settlement without specifying numbers.
Party leaders there was an unwritten verbal agreement to integrate forces insecurity agencies; claims of both parties vary.
There are more than 19,000 combatants in 28 camps and cantonments under UNMIN watch.
Nepal, whose government completed one year Tuesday, Thursday charged Maoists were blackmailing by insisting on his resignation.
“Don’t make the extension of the CA an issue of blackmail. The tenure has to be extended anyhow,’ he said in the capital Wednesday.
Even is the assembly tenure is extended and a constitution enforced, the basis law won’t have stamped by the people.
An elected CA whose tenure ended and was extended by parliament willl now promulgate a constitution.
Parliament Friday, if Maoists support government, will approve the 8th amendment in a record 16 hours sitting for at last four sessions.
The president will verify the amendment the same day
One parliamentary session will amend a regulation that requires 72 hours time to study an amendment to a bill.
The next 40 hours is a testing time for Nepal’s politicians.
Visits of the prime minister and the president to Lumbini, the birthplace of The Buddha, on Buddha Jayanti Thursday were cancelled because of an emerging crisis.
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British minister meets PM; other details

Kathmandu, 27 May: Visiting British State Minister for International Development Alan Duncan held a 30-minute discussion with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Thursday.
“As the UK’s new development minister, I am here to learn about our development programmes in Nepal and how we can best support the people of Nepal.
“The government of UK is committed to working with Nepal and looking forward to discussing with Nepali leaders how the UK can best support peace and development in this beautiful and important country,” he said in an arrival statement Wednesday.
Duncan arrived for a two-day visit.
Nepal is also holding a discussion with members of a European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South.
The delegation is led by Jean Lambert of UK’s Green Party which was elected for the first in the just concluded parliamentary election.
The delegation’s visit has been marred in controversy after the foreign ministry protested its visit of the Tibetan refugee center and proposed meetings with rebel groups of Kuumbuwan and Limbuwan.
“Contrary to what has appeared in certain newspapers, the MEPs are not holding meetings outside Kathmandu nor interacting with any political party that is not represented in the constituent assembly. Such meetings were never planned and scheduled,” the delegation said in a ‘rectification letter’ to the foreign ministry Wednesday.
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Chewang Sherpa climbs Everest twice in a season

Kathmandu, 27May: Chewang Nima Sherpa, 41, successfully got off the 8848 meters high Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, Wednesday after climbing the peak for the second time in one season to equal a feat of Apa Sherpa.
Appa Sherpa was the only climber to record that feat.
Chewang is also chasing Appa’s 20 record ascents of Everest.
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Pakistani nabbed with fake Indian currency

Kathmandu, 27 May: Pakistani national Mohammad Jamil was nabbed Tuesday at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) with fake Rs 1,5 Indian million notes in 500 and 1,000 denominations.
He arrived aboard a Bangladesh Airlines flight from Dhaka..
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