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Govt. agenda by Thursday: Upadhyay 

Talks facilitator Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay said Saturday the government will make public its talks-agenda by Thursday, August 7, 2003. 

In a press meet, Upadhyay said the government is undergoing full preparations for the third round of peace talks. "The talks date will not exceed mid-August," he said. 

He urged political parties to be genuinely helpful towards the peace talks. "Mass rallies and protests are not going to help make talks successful."  

Meanwhile, in yet another program, CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said the parliamentarian parties will not take part unless they are awarded decisive role in the talks. "We don't want to be the eyewitnesses of the talks," Nepal said.  

Earlier, Maoists urged the parties to involve in the talks process. As the parties showed reluctance, the rebels said talks can move forward even without the parties. nepalnews.com mr August 2

CP Paras distributes prizes

Crown Prince Paras, who is also patron of the National Sports Council, Saturday distributed Rs.25,000 in cash prizes to each member of the victorious U-19 Asia Youth Cup Tournament 2003. 

The Government announced a Rs.10,000 prize and the NPC Rs.15,000 for each member for their outstanding performance The team went out on a victory parade in the city. 

Nepal lifted the cup for the second time by beating Kuwait in the final in Karachi last week. Nepal has, through the victory, qualified for next year's Junior World Cup to be hosted by Bangladesh in Dhaka. nepalnews.com br Aug.2

Quake hits Mugu

An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale hit Mugu district at 6.58 in the morning Saturday, the Department of Mines and Geology  said. 

The epicenter was around Rara Lake about 600 kms northwest of the capital. nepalnews.com br Aug.2

Efforts continue to re-open highways

Efforts continued to re-open blocked highways to traffic by removing landslide debris and creating diversions Saturday. 

The Tribhuvan Highway, the first road linking the Valley with the Terai, remained closed Saturday. The Army is being deployed to re-open it. 

Official estimates say more than 150 have been killed in floods, landslides and lightening during the current monsoon from June 16. Officials are still computing the destruction left behind by the rains   last weeks in various parts of the country. nepalnews.com br Aug.2

FNCCI elections complete

The ongoing elections for the presidency of the FNCCI is complete and vote counting has begun, the latest reports stated. 

Complete results are expected only late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, Two candidates Binod Bahadur Shreshtha and Dr. Gopal Bahadur Shrestha are contesting to succeed past President Ravi Bhakta Shrestha. nepalnews.com br Aug.2

Pro-refugee team Delhi-bound

A high-profile pro-refugee delegation comprising two ex-foreign ministers of Nepal is leaving for New Delhi this Sunday, reports said Saturday. 

The team will meet Indian ministers, government officials and parliamentarians to advocate the rights of Bhutanese refugees to return back to their homeland, the reports said. 

In particular, the delegation will meet Indian foreign minister Yashwant Sinha, Congress (I) president Sonia Gandhi, former prime minister Inder Kumar Gujaral and others. 

The delegation comprises former foreign ministers Chakra Prasad Bastola and Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay, former chairman of foreign affairs committee of Lower House Hiranya Lal Shrestha and Pramod Kafle. 

The visit is being made following suggestions as well as demands from refugees, international agencies and diplomats to seek India's role in the repatriation process. nepalnews.com mr August 2

Pandey discharged from hospital

Ramesh Nath Pandey, ex-minister and former talks negotiator was discharged from TU Teaching Hospital Friday following improvement in his health condition, family sources said. 

Pandey was hospitalised one month ago after hurting himself falling from a chair. nepalnews.com mr August 2

Ex-banker under graft investigation

Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Friday detained Sher Bahadur Thapa, former General Manager of Nepal Bank Limited for corruption investigation, a source said. 

The CIAA released him on the same day after few hours of interrogation. CIAA suspects that Thapa mishandled millions of rupees while approving a loan to Himalaya Shopping Centre while he was GM of the bank. nepalnews.com mr August 2

Nepali dies in Indian bus accident 

A Nepali citizen lost her life instantly Thursday when a passenger bus heading from New Delhi to Kathmandu met an accident near Bareli of India, police said Friday. 

The dead has been identified as Rima Gurung, 22, from Mananag district. nepalnews.com mr August 2

PM to call all-party meeting

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, despite parties' reluctance, is all set to call an all-party meeting this Sunday, a published report said Saturday quoting cabinet sources. 

"The meeting is being held following a Maoist proposal to include political parties in the talks process," Kantipur reported Saturday. The report said PM Thapa would hold discussions with Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala, UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and other political leaders prior to the meeting. 

"The talks process may delay due to government's effort to convince parties," Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai told talks facilitator Padma Ratna Tuladhar, according to the report. Maoists, in their latest response, called the government to include parliamentarian parties in the talks. 

Parties, on the other hand, have been boycotting each and every program organised or participated by the PM or ministers saying that the incumbent government is unconstitutional. The predecessor Lokendra Bahadur Chand government also called several all-party meetings, but the agitating parties did not participate. 

"If parties do not want to be included in the talks process, the Government-Maoist dialogue will not be waiting for parties, talks will go on," the report quoted Tuladhar, as saying. nepalnews.com mr August 2

Maoists urge facilitators to fix talks date

Maoists have urged the facilitators to meet government representatives and fix the date for the next round of peace talks by mid-August, a broadsheet daily reported Saturday. 

"We want the talks be held at the earliest. For this, facilitators can take the initiative," Maoist talks negotiator Dr. Baburam Bhattarai told facilitator Padma Ratna Tuladhar, according to a report in Nepal Samacharpatra Saturday. 

In fact, Maoists want to sit for talks within a week, if it is possible, the report said. Earlier, the government had proposed to hold the third round of talks by mid-August. 

Responding to Maoist's "hurry", Finance Minister and negotiator Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani said Saturday, the government is ready to sit for talks anytime. "We don't want to delay even for a day," Lohani said. 

He said the government would help reopen Maoists' Kathmandu Contact Office, if they want. nepalnews.com mr August 2

Talks incomplete without parties: Facilitators

Two of four facilitators said Friday the Government-Maoist peace talks will remain incomplete and cannot succeed without parliamentarian parties' participation to it. 

In a program Friday, facilitators Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Daman Nath Dhungana said the political parties should not be sidelined in a system, which we say is multiparty democracy. "The government can't present political agenda in the talks without parties' participation," Dhungana said. 

On Maoist's latest response to hold third round of peace talks, he said, "Maoists' Thursday statement has erased confusion for the people, but political complication has increased," he said. 

Tuladhar and Dhungana were speaking at an interaction program on "Role of Media in Peace Process" organised by INSEC, an NGO. 

Facilitators Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay and Karna Dhoj Adhikari have not made any recent public comments on parties' role in the talks. nepalnews.com mr August 1

Maoist proposal positive: Parties

On Maoists’ latest response to hold third round of peace talks, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and other parties said Friday it was “positive”.  “Maoists have responded very positively,” UML leader Jhalnath Khanal said. 

“It is positive but we can take part in the talks, only when a fully authoritative all-party government will be formed.” He said not a single party of the five agitating parties would participate in the forthcoming peace talks. 

NC spokesman Arjun Narsingh KC said one of the demands of five agitating parties was continuation of peace talks. “On this context, Maoist response is positive.”  “But to make the talks constitutional, House revival is a must,” KC said. 

President of Nepal Peasant and Labourers’ Party, Narayan Man Bijukchhe “Rohit” said parties would not hold any kind of talks with the Surya Bahadur Thapa government. 

NC (Democratic) spokesman Homnath Dahal said, “Though Maoist proposal is positive, their participation in talks is not possible at this moment.” 

So far, parliamentarian parties have not made any official and written comments on the Maoist proposal to include parties in the talk process. nepalnews.com mr August 2

Govt. reviews damage 

A meeting chaired by Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa reviewed death and destruction caused by overnight floods and landladies killing more than 70 persons, officials said. 

Unofficial figures puts the death toll at more than 110. Floods and rains have left behind millions of rupees in damage. The damage and destruction is still being officially tabulated. 

Repairmen are working overtime to restore vehicular traffic on major highways by removing landslide debris. Kathmandu is still cut off from the rest of the country with landslides blocking traffic on the Tribhuvan and the Prithvi Highways. nepalnews.com br Aug.1

Commission starts work

A one-man judicial commission Friday started to investigate circumstances behind the abduction and murder of Amar Lama this week,  an official announcement said. 

The high profile driver of late Madan Bhandari of CPN-UML later turned journalist was abducted apparently by three persons in the capital this week and shot dead. 

The government has asked the commission to complete its investigation within 15 days. At least three suspects have been arrested. There is no breakthrough in the investigation so far. nepalnews.com br Aug 1