MAIN CONSTITUTION DRAFTING COMMITTEE MEETS

MAIN CONSTITUTION DRAFTING COMMITEEE MEETS; NO MAJOR AGREEMENT
Kathmandu, 11 Dec.: A meeting of the main constitution drafting chaired by Nilambar Acharya held discussions Sunday morning on how to go ahead in promulgating a constitution by 27 May without
The Acharya committee met for the first time after a constituent assembly (CA) tenure was extended six months this month.
The committee met one day after a Prachanda sub-committee met to discuss ways to implement a calendar to promulgate a constitution by the new deadline.
The sub-committee meets again Tuesday to push an agreed calendar..
The Acharya committee meets again 14 December.
The constitution drafting committee discussed differences on fundamental rights and directive principles of state policy.
Major parties are still 53 contentious issues.
The Prachanda sub-committee has resolved some differences; Maoist chief didn’t present a process report to the main committee Sunday.
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CHINA PROPOSES SIGNING BIPPA AGREEMENT DURING PM WEN’S RARE NEPAL VISIT
Kathmandu, 11 Dec.: With rising Chinese investment in Nepal and rapidly growing trade between the two countries, China has proposed signing a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) with Nepal during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s upcoming visit. China’s proposal on BIPPA, which was forwarded to the Ministry of Industry on Tuesday, is under consideration, Anil Giri reports in The Kathmandu Post
“We have just received the draft copy of the Chinese proposal. We need to discuss it with other line agencies like the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Finance and Commerce,” Industry Minister Anil Kumar Jha told the Post.
It is still premature to say whether the proposal will be signed during the Chinese premier’s visit, Jha said. Nepal has already signed BIPPA with seven other countries including India.
Chinese PM Wen is arriving in Kathmandu on a three-day visit on December 20. During a high-level meeting called by Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai to prepare for Wen’s visit on Wednesday, Nepali officials held initial discussion on the Chinese proposal.
Officials at the Industry Ministry told the Post that Chinese proposal is based on the standard format that China has signed with other countries. It is slightly different from BIPPA that we signed with India, an Industry ministry official said. “Some of the provisions in Beijing’s proposal are stricter than that of the one we signed with India,” said the official.
Meanwhile, Nepal has submitted a request list totalling around US$ 7 billion of Chinese assistance that includes building international airport in Pokhara ($ 2 billion), West Seti Hydropower ($1.6 billion), Budhigandaki Hydropower Project ($ 2 billion) and Nysalgadh Hydropower Project ($ 700 million). PM Bhattarai is also expected to request for Rs 4 billion Chinese assistance to fund the retirement package of ex-Maoist combatants. “The PM will make such a request during a banquet to be held in honour of the Chinese premier on December 20,” said the official.
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