UML chair hopeful of consensus on peace‚ statute

RSS

KATHMANDU: CPN-UML Chairman and former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal has said the drafting of new constitution within May 28 would be very difficult if the contentious issues in the constitution drafting were not settled by mid-February.

Speaking at a tea reception hosted by Press Chautari Nepal on the occasion of its 14th Anniversary here on Sunday, leader Khanal said that the promulgation of the constitution within the slated timeframe was not possible if the parties failed to agree on the disputed issues by mid February as per the latest CA calendar.

"I am hopeful that the tri-party meeting scheduled to be held on coming Wednesday would forge consensus on the contentious issue including the electoral system, form of governance, restructuring of the State, judicial system and the citizenship issues", added the UML Chairman.

The UCPN-Maoist should be serious towards the completion of the peace and constitution drafting process and the formation of the national consensus government as the single largest party in the Constituent Assembly, he stressed urging the government to withdraw the decision of legalising the property transactions carried out by the then people's government during the conflict.

Also speaking at the programme, Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC said the peace process was delayed due to misinterpretation of the past agreement.

Similarly, President of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Shiva Gaunle urged all media workers to beware of press freedom and its promotion.

Chairman of Revolutionary Journalists' Association, Maheshowar Dahal stressed the need of mission journalism in the country.

Likewise, Nepal Press Union President Kiran Pokharel said democracy should be the first priority of journalists and they develop their personality accordingly .

Maoist leader Netra Bikram Chand, UML leaders Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Yubraj Gyawali, Pradeep Nepal, Pradeep Gyawali, Yogesh Bhattarai, Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, Chairman of Press Council Nepal Naryan Sharma, Director General of Department of Information, Laxmi Bilas Koirala, senior journalist Gopal Thapaliya and Council Chairman Gagan Bista were among those joining the reception.

The Press Chautari Nepal was established on February 5, 1999.