Big four meeting underway

A meeting of the four major political parties - UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, UML and Madhesi Front - is underway at the Army Integration Special Committee secretariat, Naya Baneshwor, in a bid to settle the differences on remaining issues after Sunday's agreement on removing constitutional bottlenecks for installing an election government headed by Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi.

Today's meeting is to dwell on the ranks for Maoist combatants after their integration into the Nepal Army and the draft of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).

The UCPN (M) has demanded one Colonel and two Lt Colonels for senior commanders of the combatants who are participating in NA training currently. This has been the bone of contention in the four-party talks of late.

Regarding TRC, the NC and the UML want the draft ordinance revised, by removing provisions to give amnesty to those involved in human rights abuses during the Maoist conflict. The draft ordinance is languishing at the President's office for months now and is unlikely to be passed within revision.

The Sunday's meeting of the top leaders finalised the draft on removing constitutional and legal hurdles prepared by the four-party taskforce. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai handed over the draft to CJ Remi for this comments in the evening. nepalnews.com