Top three parties find points of consensus

After months of debate at bilateral and multilateral level, the top three parties have arrived at consensus on Friday afternoon on major political issues that delayed holding constituent assembly elections scheduled for November 22.

The meeting of the top brass of the Nepali Congress, UML and the Maoist held this morning at Baluwatar finalised the points of consensus.

According to leaders, the top three parties have agreed to state republic in the interim constitution on the condition that it is endorsed by the first sitting of the constituent assembly.

Similarly, the parties have agreed on election system with 60 percent members of the constituent assembly to be elected through proportional system and 40 percent through first-past-the-post system.

Nepali Congress president and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Maoist chairman Prachanda, NCP (Mashal) general secretary Prakash and other senior leaders of the three parties attended the meeting.

The agreement will get a final touch after the seven party meeting to be held shortly at Baluwatar.

The cabinet meeting scheduled for this morning has been postponed until the seven parties take final decision. The cabinet meeting to endorse the seven-party agreement will be held once seven parties finalise the points of agreement.

The government is expected to table the constitution amendment proposal at the parliament tomorrow once endorsed by the cabinet. The parties have only a day left to avoid a constitutional crisis. nepalnews.com ia Dec 14 07

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