PM BHATTARAI SAYS HE'LL LEAD A CONSENSUS GOVT.

NEW DRINKING WATER CHIEF

Kathmandu, 3 Jan.: Ram Kumar Yadav has been appointed acting chief of Nepal Drinking Water Corporation.
He replaces Dharma Deb Bajimaya.
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NEPAL GOVT. TO SPONSOR CLIMATE CHANGE MEET

Kathmandu, 3 Jan.: Nepal government will sponsor a conference
on climate in the capital 5.6 April.
The cabinet took a decision Monday.


PM BHATTARAI SAYS CONSENSUS GOVT.UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP

Kathmandu, 3 Jan.: Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Monday said that the present government under his leadership would complete the peace and constitution writing tasks, The Rising Nepal reports from Biratnagar .
Talking to media persons at Biratnagar Airport this evening, Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said that the Maoist-led government succeeded to break the stalemate that the Maoist-led government succeeded to break the stalemate that existed for the last fours years so it would be able to conclude the remaining tasks relating to the peace and constitution writing processes.
Stating that the government would not backtrack from the progress made in the peace and constitution front, the PM said that the consensus government would be formed under his leadership.
"Finally, the nation has started to see stability so no one should nurture the idea of changing the government. Even the parties, which are outside the government, are positive about joining the present government," added the PM.
He claimed that an environment of trust among the parties was being built in regard with the formation of national consensus government under his leadership.
Dr. Bhattarai hinted that the peace and constitution writing processes could derail if the present government was forced to quit.
To a query that Nepali Congress and CPN-UML were demanding his resignation, he said that they had not sought his resignation from their heart. "They are acting as if they are demanding my resignation but they are not really demanding my resignation."
"If someone protests the government, it is a norm of multiparty system to protect one’s existence," he said.
He said that the government was mulling over for the proper management of those combatants disqualified during the UNMIN verification.
Touching upon the internal rift of the party, Dr Bhattarai, who is also vice-chairman of the party, said that the intra-party conflict was related to ideology and no one should take it otherwise.
He said that peace and constitution was the official line of the party.
He said that the internal dispute would not affect the peace process.
"The internal conflict is natural in a living party. However, the inner disputes should not be taken to the streets," he said.
PM Dr Bhattarai came to Biratnagar to participate in a workshop to be organized by the Eastern Industry Commerce Association on Tuesday.
Businessmen and industrialists had welcomed Dr. Bhattarai this evening. They also complained that they were hit hard by load-shedding, insecurity, and high interest rate of bank.
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PARTIES STRIKE DEALON TRANSITIONAL SYSTEM
Kathmandu, 3 Jan.: A meeting of Constitutional Committee, in principle, Monday struck an agreement on seven issues related to
transitional system, The Rising Nepal reports.
In the meeting, held in the chairmanship of CC chairman Nilambar Acharya in Singha Durbar, its sub-committee coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda briefed about background, spirit and purposes of consensus on the matter pertaining to the transitional system.
Eighteen members put forth their views on the matter.
The meeting unanimously endorsed the proposal presented by the CC Chairman, who sought consensus on the topic and urged the members that it would not be sent to the CA.
After the meeting CC chairman Acharya said the meeting decided not to forward the matter relating to the transitional system in the CA as consensus was forged on it after serious discussion.
He said "The issue of the transitional system will not be taken for voting. We agreed, in principle, for necessary amendment to it."
"The remaining matters would be discussed in the sub-committee and the CC will garner consensus. If the matter is not solved, it will be taken to the CA and settled through given procedure," he added.
The next meeting of CC is scheduled for Tuesday.
The top leaders of major three parties held their meeting twice Monday to strike consensus on the form of governance but failed to arrive at a conclusion.
During the meeting, held at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction in the evening, they stuck to their own stands they held in the morning’s meeting.
However, the meeting agreed to solve the issue by January 9.
"We agreed to settle the matter within January 9," Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel told journalists after the meeting.
Poudel said that they would continue to hold meeting to find a common ground.
CPN-UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said that the meeting discussed the report prepared by the taskforce of CC.
"We are and will seriously holding talks on the distribution of power between the President and the Prime Minister," Khanal said.
UCPN-Maoist vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said that the leaders felt the need of inter and intra-party discussion on the matter.
Shrestha said that they could reach a conclusion if they discussed the matter in line with the report of the taskforce.
The leaders will again sit tomorrow.
In the meeting held this morning, the ruling UCPN Maoist pressed for presidential system; Nepali Congress for parliamentary system and the CPN-UML for the mixed system.
Nepali Congress vice-chairman Ram Chandra Poudel said that there was the need of concluding the peace process and constitution writing through consensus.
"Now we have fallen behind the calendar of the peace process and there is urgency of solving t
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