NC, UML TO DEVELOP COMMON STANCE FOR TALKS WITH MAOISTS

OPPOSITION NC, UML AGREE TODEVELOP COMMON APPROACH FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH MOISTS TO COMPLETE PEACE PROCESS.

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 11 Oct. A joint summit meeting of NC and UML, two main
opposition parties, agreed Tuesday to develop a common stance for negotiations with UCPN (Maoist) leading the government with support of of five Madeshbadi parities.
Talks will be pursued to conclude the delayed peace process.
The opposition parties also decided to hold a tripartite meeting of the
parties in ‘two or three days’ after adopting a common position for negotiations.
Talks will be held to break a deadlock even as the government of
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, second Maoist Vice-chairman, completed Tuesday 45 days in office.
Critics charged Bhattarai for going back on a public promise as he returned from New York after addressing the annual UN general assembly he
wouldn’t resign by Tuesday.
The premier, instead, qualified his original statement and said he would resign in 45 days if government couldn’t complete a common stance agreed by parties.
A common stance will be negotiated by NC and UML based on past agreements with Maoists beginning with a 12-point New Delhi agreement brokered by India, according to nominated NC General Secretary
Krishna Prasad Shitaula.
Besides the 12-point agreement, parties have signed a vague
agreement witnessed by a UN representative for integration , resettlement and supervision of 19,000 plus Maoist combatants.
The vague agreement, subject to different interpretations,
has also contributed to its non-implementation.
The NC, UML talks were held Tuesday one day after bilateral NC, Maoist talks.
NC leaders said after Monday’s talks Maoists were lately positive
The main opposition was apparently to back the establishment faction in UCPN (Maoist) which is facing an internal struggle with open talks of a split.
The group led by First Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya is challenging
the establishment faction of Chairman Prachanda and PM Bhattarai
The establishment decided to handover keys of containers with
Insurgency-era weapons to a special committee headed ex-officio by
a prime minister
Baidya protests the move before conclusion of a peace process.
‘There is more or less a common concept,” between UML and NC, Bhim Rawal of UML said after bilateral talksbetween twoopposition parties.
UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal led the UML while President Sushil Koirala headed the NC team.
The twin delayed peace process and constitution has to be concluded by 31 November.
The parties have made no effort so far.
PM Bhattarai has asked for a six-month extension of a constituent
assembly tenure after 31 November to complete the tasks.
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