MAOIST BODIES URGE UNITY Kathmandu, 23 June: : Various sister organizations aligned with the UCPN (Maoist) have appealed to all revolutionary and patriotic forces not to be misguided with the rumour of party split but get associated with the party, RSS reports. In a joint press statement on Saturday, representatives of 25 sister organizations of the party have urged the leaders to quit the backward gearing in the party but devote to their duties and responsibilities. Coordinator of former People's Liberation Army Nepal, Nanda Kishor Pun, Chairman of All Nepal Trade Union Federation Shalikram Jamar Kattel, President of All National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) Himal Sharma, Chitra Bahadur Shrestha of All Nepal Peasants Federation (Revolutionary), Chairman of Nepal National Intellectuals Organisation Khimlal Devkota and President of Nepal Revolutionary Journalists' Association Govinda Acharya were among those signing the statement. An announcement of party split by Mohan Baidya Kiran has hurt the sentiments of all revolutionary, changing and patriotic forces, adds the statement. nnnn RIO SUMMIT ENDS Kathmandu, 23 June: The three-day high-level United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, popularly known as Rio+20, has come to an end with the adoption of outcome document titled ‘The Future We Want’ after intensive negotiation among the Member States, Friday, RSS reports from Rio d Jenairo. The conference attended by more than 188 heads of State and Government and high level representatives held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from June 20-22 renewed their commitment paving the path for social, economic and environmental well-being and called for wide range of action to ensure sustainable future of the Mother Earth. The call for action includes beginning the process to establish sustainable development goals; detailing how the green economy can be used as a tool to achieve sustainable development; strengthening the UN Environment Programme (UNEP); promoting corporate sustainability reporting measures; taking steps to go beyond gross domestic product to assess the well-being of a country; developing a strategy for sustainable development financing; and, adopting a framework for tackling sustainable consumption and production. “The outcome document provides a firm foundation for social, economic and environmental well-being,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. “It is now our responsibility to build on it. Rio+20 has affirmed fundamental principles – renewed essential commitments – and given us new direction.” It also focuses on improving gender equity; recognizing the importance of voluntary commitments on sustainable development; and stressing the need to engage civil society and incorporate science into policy; among other points. The 49-page document has come up with the commitments to freeing humanity from poverty and hunger and launched the inter-governmental process to situate the post-2015 global development agenda in the Sustainable Development framework. Reaffirming all the previous commitments related to sustainable development including the Rio Principles, Agenda 21, Johannesburg Plan of Implementation as well as their outcomes, the document has identified the role of major groups and stakeholders , including civil society, private sector, women, children and youths and encouraged their active participation and meaningful involvement for sustainable development at all levels. The international framework for sustainable development has strengthened the role of the UN General Assembly, states the declaration. The Rio+20 common vision paper has envisioned two separate processes for establishing mechanism for sustainable development: financing and technology transfer to the developing countries. Underscoring special challenges of sustainable development faced by the LDCs, the internationally agreed document has given due priority to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in a separate sub-section under the thematic area for the first time. “We reaffirm that the Istanbul Programme of Action for the LDCs for the Decade 2011-2020 outlines LDCs’ priorities for sustainable development and defines a framework for renewed and strengthened global partnership to implement them. We commit to assist LDCs with the implementation of the IPOA as well as their efforts to achieve sustainable development’, reads the document. The Rio+20 outcome document has also highlighted the need for sustainable mountain development in developing countries and that of global support to that end. ‘States are encouraged to adopt a long-term vision and holistic approaches, including through incorporating mountain-specific policies into national sustainable development strategies. “Sustainable development is the only option for humanity, for our shared planet, for our common future,” Rio+20’s Secretary-General, Sha Zukang, said in his closing remarks. “Let the commitments of Rio be with us all, as we continue our journey towards a sustainable future.” During the Conference, some 513 billion US Dollar in funding has been committed by governments, the private sector, civil society and other groups to achieve a sustainable future. “The commitments that we share with you today demonstrate that governments, the UN systems, and the nine major groups are committed and serious about implementation, said Rio+20's Secretary-General, Sha Zukang, at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “Our job now is to create a critical mass, an irresistible momentum. Because the road ahead is long and hard,” Mr. Ban noted. “Rio+20 has given us a solid platform to build on. And it has given us the tools to build with – the work starts now.” “The speeches are over. Now the work begins,” Mr. Ban said at the closing ceremony of the three-day summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is learnt that thousands of events were held in the lead-up to and during Rio+20, including more than 500 official and side events at the Riocentro Convention Center, where the conference was held. More than 40,000 people – including parliamentarians, mayors, UN officials, chief executive officers and civil society leaders – attended Rio+20, which was biggest UN conference ever held. The event followed on from the Earth Summit in 1992, also held in Rio de Janeiro, during which countries adopted Agenda 21 – a blueprint to rethink economic growth, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection. Over 50 million people from all over the world also participated in the Conference through social media platforms, voicing their comments, opinions and ideas, making the platforms a key component in establishing a conversation on sustainability issues during the Conference, the UN official media centre stated. nnnn MAOIST CHIEF SAYS UCPN (MAOIST) READY FOR UNITY GOVT. Kathmandu, 23 June: Chairman of the UCPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said there was no alternative to national consensus among the parties for writing a new constitution, RSS reports. The UCPN (Maoist) Chairman said his party was ready for the formation of a national unity government by resolving the disputes seen in the constitution writing process. Addressing a gathering at Panga in Kirtipur of Kathmandu Constituency No. 10 on Saturday, Dahal made it clear that the UCPN (Maoist) was ready to make any sort of sacrifice to ensure people’s rights. Dahal said, “People will not accept at all if the parties remain reluctant to provide rights to them and give a way out to the deadlock.” Saying that the parleys with other parties were underway, the former Prime Minister expressed confidence that the parties would succeed in bearing positive results. The Maoist Chairman proposed other parties to hold discussions for consensus from the point where the parties had reached before the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (CA). “Let’s bring constitution from the CA and search for other options if needed,” Dahal said. He reiterated that bringing a new constitution through roundtable conference and commission was not acceptable to his party. Leader Dahal said brining constitution through the roundtable conference and commission was a ploy to prevent people from being powerful. Commenting on the party split, the Maoist Chairman said those who were publicizing that the UCPN (Maoist) left the agenda of federalism with identity and therefore could not remain in the party were unable to respect the needs and sentiments of people and country. “Those splitting the party on impulse will be limited only in the history.” He also urged the leaders of the dissident faction to unite under the flag of the Unified CPN (Maoist). “Kiran comrade will know everything in real if he comes to reality by quitting the narrow circle of some people,” Dahal said. Being misled by the aspirations of people’s war and people’s movement and only pointing fingers to the leadership and attempting to prove revolutionary will have no existence in the future, he argued. Nnnn OPPOSITION CALLS FOR UNITYGOVT. Kathmandu, 23 June: Leaders of major political parties have stressed the formation of a national unity government to end the present political stalemate, RSS reports. Speaking at a talk programme at Reporters’ Club today, the opposition leaders blamed the Maoist leadership for playing double standards, thereby hindering the process of forming the consensus government. Leader of Nepali Congress Prakash Sharan Mahat accused the UCPN (Maoist) leaders of making the country a hostage of indecision by creating obstacles to national unity. Similarly, central committee member of CPN (UML) Rajendra Shrestha warned that leaders of Madhesi and Janajati communities of the UML would form a new party in the offing if the UML failed to address their concerns. UCPN (Maoist) politburo member and former minister Lokendra Bistamagar said the birth of ethnic leaders in the country was u Nnnn MADHAV NEPAL URGES UNITY Kathmandu, 23 June: Senior leader of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal has reaffirmed that political way out is not possible without consensus among the political parties, RSS reports from Damak. “Environment of trust among the parties should be built up to end the mistrust,” the former Prime Minister said inaugurating the regional gathering of the Public Campus Professors’ Association in Jhapa on Saturday. Leader Nepal said the country should not be made a hostage of indecision by the political parties. The UML leader stressed technical and academic reforms with the change in time and argued that the education sector was in a shambles due to political interference. On the occasion, Nepali Congress General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula opined that all efforts should be made for consensus to resolve the political deadlock. He said, “National interest is inevitable than the partisan interest.” Similarly, Maoist politburo member and In-charge of Kochila State Committee Haribol Gajurel highlighted the roles of professors for academic development in the country. Over 400 representatives from the eastern region are participating in the gathering. nnnn