AMBASSADORS WOO SUSHIL KOIRALA

UML CENTRAL COMMITTEE BEGINS

Kathmandu, 24 May: A meeting of the UML leading the communist majority government that is entangled in a deep crisis began Tuesday after a two-day politburo meet that recommended a national unity government if such a character can’t be given to the present government of Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal.
“The party will be ready to explore other alternatives to form a national unity government if its efforts to turn the present coalition into a unity government fail,” party secretary and propaganda chief Yubaraj Geywali said.
Khanal elected February 3 with Maoist support has come fire in his party for allying too closely with Maoists with demands for his resignation.
The central committee will discuss politburo suggestion for concluding the peace process and constitution drafting a constitution as well by extending constituent assembly by six months only and not one year as proposed by government.
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EU AMBASSADORS; INDIAN AMBASSADOR SOOD HOLD DISCUSSONS WITH SUSHIL KOIRALA

Kathmandu, 24 May: Heads of diplomatic missions of EU member states Tuesday held a collective discussion with Sushil Koirala, president of main opposition NC that has decided with 16 other parties not to extend for another one year a tenure of the constituent assembly that ends 28 May Saturday.
NC and allies are pushing for the completion of the peace process as a pre condition to extend CA tenure by six months only.
Without the support of the 16 parties, government can’t muster the required two-third majority support in parliament to amend an interim constitution for the assembly tenure extension for the second time in one year.
A sense of political confusion prevails.
Following the meeting, British Ambassador John Tucknott said EU member states favour CA tenure extension.
Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood also held separate discussions with Koirala.
Sood returned to base after a visit of the West.
There are no reports he visited Mustang beyond the Himalaya bordering Tibet amid threats issued by Maoist volunteers not to engage in political and anti-China activities in the arid plateau district adjoining Tibet.
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PM KHANAL NO TO MEETINGS WITH AMBASSDORS

Kathmandu, 24 May: Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has no schedule to meet ambassadors until 28 May, Annapurna Post reports.
Such meetings have been put off because of the premier’s prioritized meetings with political party leaders busy schedule for the resolution of the political problem.
Scheduled meetings have been cancelled.
‘Meetings with ambassadors have been put off because
The prime minister is busy attempting to resolve a political crisis,” Foreign Affairs Advisor Milan Tuladhar said.
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ENERGY DAY TO BE OBSERVED 23 MAY

Kathmandu, Government proposes to observe 23 May every year as energy day through a cabinet decision.
This was disclosed by Energy Minister Gokarna Bista Monday.
One hundred years ago Monday, electricity was generated for the first time in Nepal when turbines were switched on at the Chandra Jyoti Power House in Pharpingh,
Energy experts believe the hydro power plant constructed during the rule of Chandra Shumshere JB Rana there was Asia’s second.
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LIBYAN DINARS OF RETURNEES EXCHANGED
Kathmandu, 24 May: Foreign Employment Promotion Board has helped Libya returnees exchange Libyan Dinar with Nepali rupees today [Monday], The Himalayan Times reports..

“We handed over Rs 158.07 million worth cheques to two outsourcing agencies to distribute money among the returnees for Libyan Dinar they had brought,” said executive director of the board Sthaneshwor Devkota. According to the board, around 300 Libya returnees had deposited Libyan Dinar 2,65,139 in Nepal Rastra Bank to exchange in March but the money could not be exchanged. The cabinet meeting on May 13 has decided to help exchange Libyan Dinar.

According to the board, two outsourcing agencies – SOS Manpower Services and Jasmine International – received cheques of Rs 4.08 million and Rs 117.22 million, respectively. They will distribute the money to workers within two weeks.

The board meeting held today decided to exchange Libyan Dinar at the rate of Rs 59.62 per Libyan Dinar.

“We will distribute the money to the returnees as soon as we convert it in cash,” said director of SOS Som Lal Bataju after receiving the cheque. “It will take three to four days to cash the cheques,” he said. Similarly, Jasmine’s director Kapil Uprety also said that he will distributed money within two week.

The government had rescued around 1,800 Nepalis from Libya in February-March following anti-government protest. Some of them had carried Libyan Dinar they had while fleeing the country in hurry. Likewise, the board has today supported Rs 100,000 each to the families of 78 Nepalis, who died in overseas work in the last six month. Of them 77 have died in Malaysia, 46 in Saudi Arabia, 28 in Qatar and one each in Bahrain and South Korea.
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