PRESSURE MOUNTS DEMANDING DISMISSAL OF COMMUNICATION MINISTER Kathmandu, 5 July: A faction in MJFB Ganatantrik that claims majority in the central committee of the party in government threatened Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai at a meeting Wednesday protests will be launched if Communication Minister Raj Kishore Yadav isn’t sent back from government. Rebel group leader Nandan Kumar Dutta met he prime minister and threatened street protests. Several central committee members were also present at the meet. “He [premier] has to choose between a person and the second largest party in Madesh,” Dutta. nnnn NEPAL-TIBET TRADE MEET UNDERWAY Kathmandu, 5 July: Nepal and China are holding a two-day long bilateral talk of the Nepal-China Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee, which commenced today in Tibet, The Himalayan Times reports. The meeting is expected to give the final touches to the quarantine agreement for the easy trade of fruits, vegetables and other goods between the two countries, said secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies Lal Mani Joshi, adding that both countries are facing problems due to the lack of such an agreement. Nepal will also raise issues related to tariff and transit-related barriers during the meeting, he added. China had earlier sent a letter to ministry and mentioned that the objective of the meeting would primarily be to simplify tariff and transit problems that traders have been facing for a long time at the border quarantine and customs offices. The previous meeting of the Nepal-China Tibet Trade Facilitation Committee, held in May 2011, in Kathmandu, had agreed to remove procedural complexities in the enforcement of zero tariff and to activate local-level working groups to wipe out non-customs barriers, according to the ministry. The meeting had also stressed on the development of infrastructure at major trade points between Nepal and China, promotion of Chinese investment in Nepal, payment facilitation and activating local-level working groups. nnnn NEW IOC PROPOSAL FOR PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION Kathmandu, 5 July: The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) –– the sole supplier of petroleum products to Nepal –– has sent a new proposal for the construction of a pipeline from its Raxaul, The Himalayan Times reports. depot to the Amlekhgunj depot of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC). NOC has forwarded the proposal to the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies for further decision, said acting managing director at NOC Suresh Kumar Agrawal. Indian Oil Corporation has estimated a total cost of Rs 1.6 billion to construct the pipeline, he said, adding that IOC has sought 18 to 24 months to complete the construction of the pipeline. The proposal sent by IOC has mentioned that it will be responsible for all the technical aspects of the construction, whereas Nepal Oil Corporation will have the responsibility of managerial tasks. Indian Oil Corporation has agreed to provide a loan to construct the pipeline, according to secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies Lal Mani Joshi. “IOC has made a proposal whereby NOC will have to clear the loan in seven years after the construction of the pipeline is completed.” The Ministry of Commerce and Supplies will submit the proposal to prime minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai since he is undertaking the responsibilities of the ministry in the absence of a concerned departmental minister, said secretary Lal Mani Joshi. Nepal had formally sought the southern neighbour’s help for the cross-border pipeline project at the Inter-Governmental Committee meeting in New Delhi that was held last December. However, no progress has been made so far regarding the grant to construct the pipeline between the two countries, according to Joshi. Earlier, the project was planned to be constructed through a joint venture company with the participation of Nepal Oil Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation. Nepal should initiate the process of acquiring land for the construction, said acting managing director Agrawal. The proposed cross-border 41-km pipeline project will have 39-km stretch in Nepal and two-km stretch, with pumping and equipment installations, in the Indian territory, according to the feasibility study that was prepared by NOC. The pipeline project has been in discussion since 1995. NOC had also carried out a pre-feasibility study in 2004 and a technical study in 2006 but the project could not materialise due to pressure from petroleum transporters and the unwillingness of the government, a NOC source claimed. nnnn ETHNIC LEADERS DISCUSS FORMING PARTY Kathmandu, 5 July: Around 1,000 ethnic leaders, former lawmakers and activists have gathered in Kathmandu for the two-day national conference that kicked off Wednesday to discuss their future strategy on single identity-based federalism and setting up a new party, Gani Ansari writes. Disgruntled ethnic leaders from the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have also been taking part in the conference being organized at a time when the country remains largely divided over the issue of single identity-based federalism. Addressing the inaugural session of the gathering at Dhumbarahi, NEFIN Chairman Rajkumar Lekhi said, "The gathering will provide a clear guideline for the formation of a new political force." Addressing the gathering, CPN-UML dissident leader Prithivi Subba Gurung said they would form a new party if the mainstream political parties do not mend their ways and address the issues of indigenous people. "But, before forming a new party, we have to think a lot," he said. Gurung said they have been demanding protection of their identity for their pride, not for absolute ethnic states. "Such absolute states are not possible," he said. In the two-day national conference, participants will also discuss concept papers presented by ethnic activist Chaitanya Subba and Professor Krishna Bhattachan. Subba, in his concept paper, has dwelled on the future strategy of indigenous communities and has concluded that the present situation is ripe for the formation of a new political party. Stressing the need for the formation of a new party, Subba, in his paper, has further claimed that the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML would not address the demand for single identity-based federalism. Similarly, he has also urged indigenous communities not to trust the UCPN (Maoist), saying the party has been frequently changing its stance on the issues raised by ethnic communities. Subba has warned that the issues of indigenous, Madhesi, among other marginalized communities will not be addressed, if a new party is not formed. "It is essential to form a new party in order to counter the reactionaries and unilateralist forces and to safeguard federalism, inclusiveness and social justice," reads the concept paper. Likewise, Bhattachan, in his concept paper, has also dwelled on the present political situation. In his paper, Bhattachan has termed the state character and characters of political parties as unchanged. Most of the participants who took part in the discussion on the papers stressed the need for forming a new party to fight for the cause of ethnic communities. "Most of the participants stressed the need for forming a new political force," Lekhi told Republica. However, he said that the gathering would not announce a new party. "We are learning the views of the leaders, the gathering will issue a declaration regarding common views held by all indigenous peoples," Lekhi added. However, some indigenous leaders said that they are likely to form a new party under the leadership of CPN-UML dissident leader Pasang Sherpa on August 9. When asked about formation of a new party, Lekhi said, "There is such a possibility." nnnn