MAOISTS AGAIN DECIDE NOT TO JOIN GOVT.; OTHER DETAILS (NEWS UPDATE)

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: In another Maoist flip-flop the party standing committee decided Thursday not to join the government of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal who was elected two weeks ago while deciding to lend outside support to it.
An expected expansion of the Khanal government has been delayed also because of differences within Khanal’s UML which the prime minister chairs.
Maoist standing committee cited differences within the UML on a controversial seven-point agreement between chairmen to the two biggest communist parties for its fresh decision not to join the government.
Maoists said it will lend outside support to the government.
Maoist Spokesman Dinanath Sharma said there was no atmosphere for the Maoists to join the government with differences in the UML.
Sharma said UML wasn’t serious in implementing the 7-point accord which must be implemented.
The Maoist standing committee first decided not to join the government following opposition within UML to Khanal’s pact with Prachanda and demanded an official UML position of the agreement that handed over the government leadership to UML chairman with Maoist support.
Maoists demanded an official UML position on the secret agreement tojoin the government and without waiting for its decided to join the administration following an agreement Wednesday between Khanal and Prachanda.
Maoist standing committee was actually summoned to select the party team in government that was to be led by Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
The Maoist decision followed heavy criticism of the premier in the UML party standing committee on Khanal’s decision to award the home
Ministry to Maoists.
The UML standing committee which originally asked Khanal not to award the home ministry to Maoists review the seven-point agreement Thursday empowered the politburo which meets Sunday to decide on the Khanal/ Prachanda accord.
A meeting of the central committee has also been called on Tuesday.
The seven-point accord signed hastily without party approval has backfired on the prime minister.
UML has formed a four-member task forded headed by Khanal and consisting of former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and KP Olu to select the party team in government and negotiate with other parties
on government expansion.
In a related development, Prachanda asked YCL to mobilize itself aganstl conspirators who were conspiring against the ‘baby coalition.’
The Maoist chief blamed foreigners, ‘leftists and reactionaries and
frauds’ who started an immediate to split and bring down the new
coalition.
Maoists sad they won’t join government until a clear UMLposition on the
seven-point agreement.
A planned government expansion was aborted with Thursday’s unexpected developments.
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BHATTARAI’S CONDITION IMPROVES (UPDATE)

Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: The condition of former Prime Minister
Krishna Prasad Bhattarai has improved and he could return home in a lday or two, Dr Shyam Bahadur Pandey said Thursday.
But he’s still not out of danger, Dr. Pandey said.
President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav visited Bhattarai at hospital and inquired about his condition.
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PM KHANAL INVITED TO ATTEND TURKEY CONFERENCE

Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal was invited by visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoghu to attend a UB-sponsored conference of least developed countries in Turkey from 9 to 11 May.
In bilateral talks with Deputy Prime Bharat Mohan Adhikari, the
foreign minister said Turkey was ready to open an embassy in
Kathmandu.
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40,000 NEPALI WORKERS IN BAHRAIN

Kathmandu, 17 Feb.: There are an estimated 40,000 Nepali workers
in troubled Bahrain where violence has broken out.
At three persons were killed there by security forces ad dozens were inujure in shootings by security forces Thursday.
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