UML CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET POSTPONED

PARLIAMENT APPROVES INVESTMENT BOARD BILL

Kathmandu, 16 Aug.: Investment Board Bill was approved by parliament Monday.
The proposed board demanded by the private sector for more than one year will be chaired by a prime minister with a secretariat at the Office of the Prime Minister.
The high-powered board will be a one-window forum to address concerns of investors to attract direct foreign investments.
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MJFL SAYS A GOVT. OF UNDERSTANDING LED BY MAOISTS ACCEPTABLE TO IT

Kathmandu, 16 Aug.: Chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar of MJFL said Monday he was favourable to leadership of a government of understanding under Maoists.
MJFL is one of five constituents of the five-party front of democratic Madeshbadi parties.
Gachedhar urged a government of national understanding.
Gachdhar’s statement came even as the Madeshbadi
Parties and main opposition NC have developed an alliance for institutionalization of democracy.
NC has laid a claim to lead a national government.
“It’s difficult to conclude the peace process and constitution drafting without a government of understanding. There should be an understanding for anybody.
“Maoists can take the leadership. It has already pushed the candidacy of Baburam Bhattarai. A government of understanding can be formed under him,” Gachedhar said.
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UML CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET POSTPONED

Kathmandu, 16 Aug.: A scheduled meeting Tuesday of UML central committee has been postponed without specifying a new date.
The meeting was postponed as party leaders would be busy in consultations with other party leaders on formation of a new government.
The party began meeting this week to consider disciplinary action against Prime MInisterl Jhalanath Khanal and party chairman for reshuffling his government by including a new Maoist team against the advice of the party.
Khanal told parliament formed a government with Maoists even with opposition from his own party as Maoists were being isolated. Party propaganda chief Pradip Geywali announced postponement of the party central committee meet.
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NC, UML ASK MAOISTS TO BRING PROPOSALS TO CONCLUDE PEACE PROCESS TO LEAD GOVT.





Kathmandu, 16 Aug. : Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders Monday said they would be ready to accept a government led by the Maoists if they came up with a time table to conclude the peace process, The Rising Nepal reports.
Speaking at the Reporters’ Club, NC leader Arjun Narasingh KC said though his party had decided not to accept the Maoists’ leadership until the peace process was concluded, an agenda entered in the party according to which the party should be ready to accept a Maoist-led government if it came up with the time table to conclude the peace process.
"I have submitted such a proposal in the party today. NC should openly discuss the leadership if the Maoists expressed concrete commitments to conclude the peace process," KC said.
He said that the Maoists should clearly spell out a package with a timetable about the modality, number and rank of the combatants to be integrated, their rehabilitation and voluntary retirement.
He said that the parties should form a consensus government focusing on the national agenda, not on particular individual.
He said that NC would stake a claim for a consensus as well as a majority government but forming a consensus government was the party’s priority.
He claimed that the dispute in the party regarding the parliamentary party leader would be resolved within two days and said that anyone from outside the PP could be the prime ministerial candidate for a consensus government.
CPN-UML secretary Shankar Pokharel said that his party would not object to Maoists’ leadership in the government if they brought a proposal on standard, modality, rank and rehabilitation of the combatants in a package.
"Maoists’ leadership will be impossible unless they express an unwavering commitment on these four issues of peace," Pkharel said.
However, he claimed that chances of forming a national consensus government were slim.
"There is no situation for the Maoists to accept the NC’s leadership and NC has already said that it will not accept a Maoist-led government without concluding the peace process," he said.
Saying that the chance of forming a NC-led majority government was high, he clarified that his party would not stake a claim for the leadership of the government.
Physical Planning and Works Minister and UCPN-Maoist leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi said that UCPN-Maoist was ready to bring a proposal including a concrete timetable to conclude the peace process.
Informing that his party unanimously recommended Dr. Baburam Bhattarai as the new Prime Minister, Rayamajhi said that a unanimous effort should be made to form a consensus government and conclude the tasks of peace and constitution.
He said that formation of a majority government would not prove the relevance of Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal’s resignation.
He further said that his party would not create any hurdle to prevent Dr Bhattarai from becoming the new PM of the country.
He said that it was a big blunder of the party to go for a majority system and not to elect late Girija Prasad Koirala to the post of president.
Co-chairman of Sadbhawana Party Laxman Lal Karna said that the Madhesi Front should be given the leadership of the government as the three big parties failed to give a consensus government.
He said that the peace and constitution processes would move ahead if the three parties allowed the Madhesi Front to lead the government.
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