MAOIST, MADESHBADI FRONT MEET INCONCLUSIVE

PARTIES AGREE TO COMPLETE PEACE PROCESS

Kathmandu, 18 Dec.: The Big Three and a front of Madeshsbadi parties Sunday agreed to push the peace process to complete it.
They agreed to integrate the agreed 6,500 fighters in Nepal Army and
send those opting for voluntary retirement separately.
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MEET BETWEEN MAOISTS AND MADESHBADI PARTIES INCONCLUSIVE

Kathmandu, 18 Dec.: A meeting between Maoists heading the government and a front of Madeshsbadi parties in government pushing terai
demands was inconclusive Sunday.
The front was pushing naturalized citizenship for terai residents now closed after distribution of the document for two years.
The issue is sensitive and will open floodgate for citizenship to people from across the border.
The meeting dispersed after agreement further discussions are
needed and existing laws need amendment.
A meeting of Maoist office bearers rejected distribution of naturalized citizenship.
Maoists and the front met for the second consecutive day Sunday.
Communication Minister Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta whose party is a
constituent of the front said Saturday the first day’s meet had further cemented the ties between governing parties.


MEET DISCUSSES MATERNAL HEALTH CONDITION

Kathmandu, 18 Dec.: A two-day Third International Conference on Safe Motherhood began in the Capital from today [Sunday] RSS reports.

Inaugurating the conference, Minister for Health and Population Rajendra Mahato said the Ministry of Health has been working to change the health structure as the structure that was built 20 years ago could not fit in the present situation.
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All elected unanimously Can officials
The minister said the ministry will have necessary negotiation to adjust the vacancies. He said there is a need for increasing the budget from seven percent to 10 percent of the total budget in health sector as the budget currently allocated for the health sector could not provide health services to all the citizens.

Minister Mahato said the ministry is committed to providing easy access to health service from the available sources and by taking assistance from the donor agencies.

Secretary at the Ministry, Dr. Sudha Sharma said the maternal mortality rate has decreased by 49 percent since 2001, and has become 281 per hundred thousand live births in 2011 and child mortality rate (below 5 years) has become 54 per thousand live births as compared to the past years.

Nepal Representative of DFID Domini O'Neill expressed the confidence that the financial support that has been provided by DFID could be beneficial for the health of the women and children.

Chairman of Federation of Safe Motherhood Network, Nepal, and lawmaker Dr. Arjoo Rana Deuba said they were committed to include woman health rights in the new constitution.

During the programme, Doctors Chhatra Amatya, Dibyeswori Malla, Kanti Giri, Laxmiraj Pathak and Sanumaiya Dali and other health workers were honoured for their contribution for the Safe motherhood.

Around 300 delegates from Bangladesh and Nepal have been participating in the conference.
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UML LEADER POKHREL RULES OUT CONSENSUS GOVT.UNDER PM BHATTARAI
Kathmandu, 18 Dec.: Secretary of the CPN-UML Shanker Pokhrel on Sunday has claimed that the National consensus government based on four-point agreement is not possible, RSS reports from Dang.

Speaking at an interaction organised by the Reporters Club, Dang chapter, in Tulsipur today, Pokharel said it is a paradox to talk much by the Unified CPN-Maoist for the national consensus government under Dr Baburam Bhattarai's leadership as it is formed on the basis of the four-point agreement.

He blamed the UCPN-Maoist for not implementing the seven-point agreement and said incumbent Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' had completely failed to forward peace and constitution writing processes.

In a different note, UML leader Pokhrel said the parties have forged agreement about election system among the contentious issues cropped up during the constitution writing process, adding, now they are close to agreement in other issues as well.

Pokhrel said the difference of opinion in the UML was caused due to the differences on judging the UCPN-Maoist, but that unity among the leaders is possible as they have similar views of the Maoists.

Speaking in the same programme, CPN-Marxist-Leninist CP Mainali said the SRC formed on the political sharing would not be able to give the decision as expected by the public.

He blamed the three major political parties for ignoring other fringe parties while forming the commission and said if the federalism on the basis of ethnicity was made, there will be ethnic conflict in the nation.
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