PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE TELLS GOVT.TO WORK NEW DATE FOR PM WEN VISIT

PREPARE NEW DATES FOR PM WEN VISIT PARLIAMENTAR COMMITTEE TELLS GOVT.
Kathmandu, Jan 10: The Parliamentary Committee for International Relations and Human Rights on Tuesday directed the government to work out new dates for the visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, greatwayonline.com reports.
Wen was slated to make his courtesy visit Nepal on December, 2011 but China postponed it citing the reason that the Chinese leader was required to be at home to “deal with some economic issues”.
A meeting of the committee at Singha Durbar concluded with a note that Wen’s visit is important to strengthen the Sino-Nepal relations.
The Committee also directed Ministry for Foreign Affairs to immediately initiate talks with the government of Hong Kong to resume issuing migrant workers’ visa for Nepalis.
The Hong Kong Immigration Department has stopped accepting visa application from Nepalis wanting to study or take up employment from June 6, 2005 for various reasons ranging from increased cases of forged documents to the excessive inflow of Nepali refugees.
Similarly, the Committee also directed the government to initiate actions to bring back the historically important arms and ammunition which were reportedly sold to a foreign private collector.
nnnn
NEW CONSTITUTION WON’T EMBRACE NC DEMANDS SAYS MAOIST LEADER
Kathmandu, Jan 10: UCPN (Maoist) General Secretary C P Gajurel has claimed on Tuesday that the new statute will not engrave provisions as demanded by the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress (NC), greatwayonline.com reports.
Gajurel, speaking at an interaction programme organised by Reporter’s Club in Capital, also blamed the big two opposition parties for obstructing the process of the constitution drafting.
“Maoists will never agree with the parliamentary model of governance as we had picked up guns against it,” Gajural said.
Gajurel also opined that Maoists will not abandon party’s line and agendas in the new constitution yet to be promulgated.
“We are all-equipped to present out agendas on paper, in the upcoming Central Committee (CC) meet scheduled for Wednesday,” he opined.
Meanwhile, Gajurel clarified that some of the disputed issues hindering the constitution drafting process, including scientific land reforms and distribution of land to landless and squatters, federalism along with the right to self-determination, presidential model of governance, electoral system, will be finalized by tomorrow’s meet.
Terming peace and constitution, the two legs of a man, Gajurel said, peace process and statute drafting should move in tandem.
Gajurel also suggested Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, to quit as the premier.
“Baburam Bhattarai is only enforcing agendas of the Madhes-based parties, sidelining his own party’s agendas,” he added. “The present government cannot be transformed into a national consensus government.”
nnnn