NEPAL POLICE PLAYS APF IN NATIONAL WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Kathmandu, 28 July: Nepal Police plays Armed Police Force (APC) Saturday in the final of the National Women’s Football Championship Saturday. APF is the defending champion. nnnn PRESIDENT MAY REJECT ELECTION ORDINANCES Kathmandu, 28 July: In view of the protests from various opposition parties, President Ram Baran Yadav is unlikely to endorse two election- related ordinances forwarded to him by the government on Friday, Kosh Raj Koirala reports Sources said the president had already conveyed this to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai during their meeting on Friday afternoon. The president asked the prime minister to bring any election-related ordinance only in consensus with opposition parties as the election was not possible without broader political consensusm Republica reports. "As election is not possible without political consensus, please bring such ordinances for authentication only after forging political consensus," the source quoted the president as telling Bhattarai. The prime minister had handed over ordinances related to the Constituent Assembly Election (CA) Act 2069 BS, the Voters Roll Act 2069 BS and the Election Act 2069 BS to the president as per the cabinet decision earlier in the day. Next CA election is not possible without amending these Acts as well as amending some provisions in the Interim Constitution, the Election Commission (EC) has said. The EC had requested the government to clear legal and constitutional hurdles within this week to hold the CA election on November 22 as announced in May. The EC had extended the original deadline of July 22 by a week after the government failed to clear the hurdles. The president´s move came after opposition parties including Nepali Congress and CPN-UML asked him not to authenticate the ordinances without political consensus. The president himself has been publicly criticizing the government alleging it was trying to run the country through ordinances. NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat said the governments´ move to bring election related ordinances without political consensus was not acceptable. "In view of the limited status of the current government, it is now the responsibility of the president to tell the prime minister that no [election-related] ordinances can be issued without political consensus," he said. Mahat said they were, however, not against the election. "As a party believing in democratic principle, we favor election. But for that election to happen, the present government should go and a new national consensus government should be formed," he further said. Another opposition party, UML, has said the government´s attempts to amend the election related acts without agreement with other parties was a ploy to prolong its stay in power. "This is nothing but a series of unconstitutional moves taken by the current government," said UML Spokesperson Pradeep Gyawali. Gyawali alleged that the government was pushing the country toward a fresh confrontation instead of trying to reach out to the opposition parties. "I see this also as an attempt to drag the president into controversy. This is a conspiracy to push the country towards the path of fresh confrontation instead of consensus," he further said. nnnn ________________________________________ NEPAL, TIBET TO COMBAT CROSS-BORDER Kathmandu, 28 July: A home secretary-level talks between Nepal and China concluded with the two sides agreeing to work together to curb cross-border crimes, Republica writes. The meeting held in Beijing on July 23 discussed the ways to check illegal movement of Tibetans across Nepali side, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and other unlawful activities along the border. "Both sides have agreed to check the crimes along the border," said Deputy Spokesperson at the Home Ministry Eak Mani Nepal, who was one of the members of the eight-member Nepali delegation. The delegation led by Home Secretary Sushil SJB Rana had reiterated its commitment that Nepal was determined to control all sorts of criminal activities along the border in the meeting. The Chinese delegation was led by Deputy Minister for Public Security, Chen Ji Min. Among other things, Nepal and China agreed to develop mechanisms to ensure exchange of information on a real-time basis and establish effective cooperation between the security agencies of the two countries to control illegal activities in border areas. Reinforcing its stance, Chinese side had asked Nepalese delegation to act tough against Tibetans illegally entering Nepali territory. In response, a participant, who asked not be named, said Nepalese side assured that Tibetan refugees in Nepal will not be allowed to carry out any activities detrimental to Chinese interests. "More than anything else, the Chinese seemed wary about the anti-China activities of Tibetan refugees living in Nepal. They demanded that Nepal punish the Tibetans illegally entering into Nepalese territory as per the law of the land, instead of handing them over to UN refugee agency," the official added. The two sides also held discussions on other issues of mutual interests, according to a press statement issued by Home Ministry. Chinese side has expressed its willingness to extend all necessary support including assistances for strengthening Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) in Nepal. The home secretary-level talks between Nepal and China are held every two years, with the venue alternating between the two capitals. The first such meeting was held in Kathmandu on July 26, 2010. The upcoming meeting will review the progress since that first meeting. Nepal will host the home-secretary level talks in Kathmandu in 2014. While home secretary-level talks between Nepal and China take place every two years, joint-secretary level meetings between the two countries take place every year. As per an arrangement between the two countries, chief district officers (CDOs) from Nepal meet their Chinese counterparts as and when required. The Nepalese delegation that had left Kathmandu on Saturday arrived home on Thursday. The delegation had also visited a few Chinese cities including Lhasa and Guangzhou. Nnnn ________________________________________