JAPANESE, CHINESE FUNCTIONARIES ARRIVING

JAPANESE, CHINESE FUNCTIONARIES ARRIVING
Kathmandu, 22 Feb.: Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Koro Bessho is arriving in Kathmandu on Wednesday leading a three-member delegation of Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a two-day official visit.
According to a press statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese embassy on Tuesday, Japanese Deputy Minister Bessho is scheduled to meet with various leaders including Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha to exchange views on Japan-Nepal relationship as well as ongoing peace and constitution writing processes.
"Mr. BESSHO will also inspect Kathmandu-Bhaktapur Road, which was constructed with Japanese grant aid and completed in May 2011," the statement of the embassy added.
Chinese State Forest Minister Jia Zhibang also arrived for a three-day visit Wednesday.
He’ll participate in the first Nepal-China Joint Forestry Working Group meet.
nnnn
nnnn
PRESIDENT PROROGUES 10TH SESSION OF PARLIAMENT
Kathmandu, 22 Feb. : President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav prorogued the 10th session of parliament Ruesday as he earlier held discussions with Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai
The session was prorogued as 18 parties, including the two opposition parties NC and UML, obstructed the legislative session opposing a government and Maoist decision to legalize the seizure of assets, especially during a 10-year insurgency by parallel Maoist governments,
Eighteen parties also demanded correction of the decision put on hold by the supreme court.
Major bills couldn’t be approved by parliament which was asked by the apex court to approve an agreement signed by the Baburam Bhattarai government on bilateral investment for protection of trade and investment opposed by a section of Bhattarai’s UCPN (Maoist)
Three bills on anti-money laundering-- mutual legal support, organized crime control and extradition—also couldn’t be approved amid threats by the international community to financially isolate Nepal.
This budget session began 2 May and approved an annual budget
For financial 2011/12 this year on time despite which government has only spent less than 16 percent of the money earmarked for capital
expenditure.
Nnnn