US CONGRESSMAN CALLS FOR INCREASED US, NEPAL TRADE

CPN (ML) SPLITS

Kathmandu, 13 March: CPN (Samajbadi) split Saturday over differences on joining the communist dominated government of UML and Maoists led by Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal of UML.
Chairman Jaya Prasad Bogati decided to join the government with a team led by him.
Disagreeing, another group split the party that only several months ago split from CPN (ML) led by CP Mainali.
A meeting of the central committee chaired by General Secretary Bushu Raj Aryal expelled Bogati from the party and ordinary membership.
Action has also been taken against 11 central committee members.
The split in the party comes as Maoists and UML attempt to expand government with support of smaller parties.
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US CONGRESSMAN CALLS FOR INCREASED NEPAL, US TRADE

Kathmandu, 13 March: Congressman Jared Polis (D), Co-chairman of the recently launched UN Congressional bipartisan caucus on Nepal said called for increased trade between USA and Nepal in an interview with The Kathmandu Post.
‘There are many important aspects of the relationship, We have a strong tourism trade between the two countries. There can be increasingly more trade for products that are created in Nepal,” he said in an interview published Sunday.
“I think we can continue to grow the economic relationship,” he added.
The Congressman sad he’ll be supportive to efforts to resolve the conflict.
“Out goal here is to be supportive to peaceful efforts to resolve conflict, be supportive of human rights and to wok with our friends in Nepal to help educate other members of Congress on Nepal issues. We don’t have any specific position on Nepal’s internal matters.”
Polis hoped the caucus formed will be expanded.
“I started one (causus) along with a Republican and we hope to recruit many members to join so that we discuss how to improve relation and work together with both countries,” he said.
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UN DEADLINE TO EQUPT NEPAL POLICE WITH APCS

Kathmandu, 13 March: A UN official with the Sudan Mission has asked Nepal Police (NP) to equip Nepali Police with armed personnel carriers (APCs) by 20 April, Kantipur reports.
Letters were sent recently to home ministry and NP.
With the development, there’s possibility the Nepali Police peacekeeping contingent may have to return from Darfur, Sudan.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Each gets a gun for own safety—from now on, don’t blame us.. for lapses.”

(Policeman while handing over a pistol to a prisoner behind bars, cartoon by Rajesh KC is Republica, 13 March)
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