VP Jha Dissatisfied Over Offhand Talks With Terai Rebels

Vice President Parmananda Jha on Thursday (Dec 4) expressed his dissatisfaction over the government for carrying out negotiations with the armed struggle groups active in Terai without necessary homework. "Many issues would have been resolved if only the government had held the dialogue after carrying out homework," said the vice president. "I have felt that the armed groups have been treated with lesser respect," Vice President Jha said at a program organized in Birgunj Thursday. Jha was of the opinion that it was inappropriate to say that action would be taken against those who do not come for dialogue while calling them for talks. Various quarters including President Dr Ram Baran Yadav have suggested VP Jha not to make political remarks since he fell into controversy. Earlier, he had criticized the army integration committee formed by the ruling coalition partners and later started expressing his confusion about what his role was. Compiled from reports

Chinese FM Returns Home

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi met with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav at Shital Niwas Thursday (Dec 4) morning. The 40-minute meeting primarily focused on improving Nepal-China relations and increasing material assistance from China for the peace process and economic development of Nepal. During the meeting, Jiechi is learnt to have expressed China's support for protecting Nepal's territorial integrity. On Wednesday as well when he met with Prime Minister Pusha Kamal Dahal, the Chinese minister had said his country was ready to extend all possible support for protecting Nepal's 'sovereignty'. Jiechi left for Myanmar later in the afternoon, completing his three-day tour to Nepal. Compiled from reports

Govt Should Request Soon For UNMIN Term Extension: Martin

United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) has said the government of Nepal must request the UN at the earliest if the latter is interested in extending its mandate. In an interview with Kantipur FM on Thursday (Dec 4), UNMIN Chief Ian Martin said the government should immediately appeal to the UN Secretary General as a long process has to be followed to extend the UN body's term.  "The actual expiration of the mandate is 23 January 2009, we would have liked to have had a request by now so that we could send recommendations to the Secretary General which he would pass on to the Security Council," said Martin, adding, "The very latest date for decisions is January and for that we need to request very soon indeed." The UNMMIN Chief opined that the peace process, however, will not reach to a logical end unless the fate of the former Maoist combatants is decided. He also underscored that the Army Integration Special Committee should initiate the process of integration through consensus at the earliest. Martin said the monitors will have to play their part until the combatants are integrated and rehabilitated although the UNMIN does not want to extend its term. "We wanted to see that discussion move forward because it's the ex-strategy for UNMIN, some people think that UNMIN wants to stay in the country," said the UNMIN chief, "We want to complete our task but the task of arms monitoring logically is completed when decisions are made about the future of combatants." The UNMIN, a special political mission to monitor the peace process in Nepal, was established on 23 January 2007 in response to letters to the Secretary-General sent on 9 August 2006, in which the then Seven-Party Alliance government and the CPN-Maoist had requested UN assistance in creating a free and fair atmosphere for the Constituent Assembly election and the entire peace process. At the request of the government, the UN Security Council had extended UNMIN's mandate for six months on 23 January 2008 and for another six months on 23 July 2008. Compiled from reports

UML Presses Maoists To Become Flexible To Bring NC In Special Committee

The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) has asked the Maoists to rope in Nepali Congress (NC) in the special committee on army integration. The UML is a major ally in the ruling coalition led by the Maoists while NC is the main opposition. A delegation of UML led by its general secretary Jhal Nath Khanal met with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda,' Wednesday, and made this request. The UML team told the PM that without the participation of NC, the committee will become meaningless. Although the government had formed the committee led by UML leader and Deputy Prime Minister Bamdev Gautam a month ago, the NC has stayed away from it demanding equal participation and implementation of past pacts. The committee has two members from the Maoists and the NC has also demanded two members from its side. The NC has also demanded that terms of reference of the committee be same as was agreed in earlier pacts. Compiled from reports

NC Dangles Its Conditions To Sit In Special Committee

The opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) has reiterated its conditions before joining the special committee on army integration. Senior leaders of the major four parties including three of the ruling coalition – Maoists, UML and MJF – and main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) held talks, Tuesday (Dec 2) morning in Baluwatar, focusing on expanding the special committee. Emerging out from the talks, NC vice president Ram Chandra Poudel said that his party reiterated its demand that the special committee on army integration be reconstituted by involving two members from it, among others, before the party can consider joining it. Poudel also demanded that the government first fulfill its nine-point memorandum before it can extend cooperation to the government. The process of initiating army integration has been in limbo since NC declined to be a part of the special committee. Currently, the committee consists of two members from Maoists and one each from UML and MJF. Compiled from reports

Maoists-Led Govt A Failure: Opposition

The main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) on Tuesday (Dec 3) accused the Maoist-led government of being completely unsuccessful. Speaking at the legislative session of the Constituent Assembly (CA) Tuesday, NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat remarked that the culture of impunity has flourished, law and order situation has deteriorated and the properties confiscated have not been returned yet even after the government completed its initial hundred days of functioning.  Dr Mahat, the former finance minister, went on to claim that the government has failed to take the leadership of the committee to draft the new constitution. "Not only the rampant killings and violation of the right to live have occurred but also a clear involvement of the government has been seen in these cases," said the NC lawmaker, adding, "None of the culprits has been detained even after those murders."  "The Maoist cadres themselves have been found to be involved in the killings and yet they are living freely as normal citizens, but the home minister is unable to take action against them," he said. The NC leader said that the government failed to create the environment for investment and the national capital is flying away. Likewise, Rastriya Janashakti Party leader Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani flayed the government for failing to apply law in an unbiased manner. Expressing concern over the growing anarchism, Dr Lohani said that the commitments made by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal have not been implemented. He remarked that there is no point making pledges if those made in the past are not implemented. Similarly, UML lawmaker Dambar Bahadur Khadka alleged that the home minister is secretly releasing the culprits. Compiled from reports

Koirala Is NC PP Leader Unless Otherwise Notified: NC

Seven months since the election of Constituent Assembly election was held, the main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), remains still undecided over naming its parliamentary party leader. A meeting of the NC parliamentary party (PP) held on Monday (Dec 1) to decide on the election of the PP leader ended inconclusively. However, the Congress party is also known to have written a letter to the government saying that party president Girija Prasad Koirala will be the member of the Constitutional Council as the opposition leader unless otherwise notified by the party. There was discussion on whether to elect PP leader or simply nominate one, but no conclusion was reached, leaders said. Some women PP members made strong demand for choosing a woman deputy parliamentary leader. Much to the chagrin of some hopefuls like senior party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel, party president Girija Prasad Koirala has repeatedly proclaimed himself to be the parliament leader. The NC is not only the sole political party that has not chosen its parliamentary leader it has also not been able to adopt the constitution for the parliamentary party. Compiled from reports

West Seti Seeks One Year Extension To Arrange Finances

The West Seti hydro has sought for one more year to arrange finances for investment in the 750 MW West Seti hydropower. In the earlier agreement with the government, the West Seti Hydro had been asked to complete financial arrangement within December of 2008. But it has again sought for one year extension to do so. The hydro has already extended its tenure or changed agreements eight times. According to Himalaya Bahadur Pandey, director of the Hydro, this time they are seeking the extension as per the recommendation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). As the ADB is said to be preparing to approve the decision to invest in the project through its board in March, it recommended for the extension. The ADB is proposing to invest 15 percent in the project, whose total cost is said to be $1.6 billion. The government has also decided to invest 15 percent in the project. These apart, West Seti Hydro will invest 26 percent, China National Machinery Import/Export Corporation will invest 15 percent, India's Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services will invest 15 percent and Special Purpose Vehicle will invest 14 percent in the project. Of the total investment, 75 percent will be as loan and 25 percent as share. Meanwhile, Pandey said that they are reviewing the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Power Trading Corporation (PTC) of India. The PPA conducted in October, 2003 stated that power would be sold at 4.95 US cents per unit but the PTC is said to have agreed to increase it given increase in inflation. The West Seti is a totally export-oriented project. Kantipur daily reports