Marathon three-party meet ends inconclusively; leaders give confusing signals

Two rounds of the meeting of top leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN (UML) held at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction on Friday ended inconclusively with the Maoists and the NC remaining firm in their positions over the weapons of the Maoist combatants and the extension of the Constituent Assembly’s term.

Emerging from the meeting in the evening, leaders admitted that there was no progress in the talks on the two issues.

NC leader Ram Saran Mahat claimed that the Maoist side emerged more rigid on the NC’s demand for handover of the arms to the government prior to the extension of the CA's term.

On the other hand, Maoist vice chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha denied that his party was not showing flexibility. He, however, said he was hopeful of a solution in tomorrow’s meeting.

According to UML leader Bam Dev Gautam, the issue of national unity government also entered into debate, but nothing was clear yet.

The top leaders are to meet again Saturday morning.

Earlier, talking to reporters after the first round of talks, NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Poudel said there were no signs of immediate consensus between the parties on extension of the Constituent Assembly's tenure.

According to him, leaders of the three parties held discussion on a number of issues including the integration modality and formation of national consensus government. He said nothing concrete has been agreed so far.

Earlier in the morning, UCPN (Maoist) vice-chairman Baburam Bhattarai said that considering the degree of flexibility the parties have been showing since Thursday, the top leaders of the major three might reach an agreement today itself.

"The level of flexibility witnessed during Thursday's meeting shows that leaders are serious about forging national consensus on the extension of the Constituent Assembly's term on Friday itself," Bhattarai said.

He also said that both the parties in the government, UCPN (Maoist) and UML, are seriously engaged in dialogue to convince NC on extending CA's term.

"The parties in the coalition are hopeful of reaching an understanding on CA term extension today," he said while speaking at a programme organised in remembrance of journalist Krishna Sen, who was killed by state security forces during the insurgency period, in the capital.

Meanwhile, NC leaders held discussion with leaders of the United Democratic Madhesi Front this morning and agreed not to allow the term of CA to be extended again unless Unified CPN (Maoist) becomes ready to transfer the weapons to the government.

The understanding was reached during a meeting held at party president Sushil Koirala's Maharajgunj residence. nepalnews.com