Biratnagar, October 22, 2007

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said there is no immediate plan to bring the Maoists back into the government. Talking to mediapersons at his residence, he said it was meaningless to bring the Maoists into the government before the announcement of constituent assembly polls.

Answering a reporter’s query, Koirala said, “The Maoists will be brought into the government only if they agree to go for polls. I do not see any immediate reason to include them in the government.” When asked why he would not accept the Maoist ministers’ resignations, he said he was giving them an opportunity to reconsider their decision. Koirala claimed that the CA polls had to be deferred just because of the Maoists’ hesitation to go for polls. He claimed: “I wanted to hold polls on time.”

He said he would continue efforts to declare the next poll date. He added that the seven-party alliance had lost credibility in the international, as well as national arena, due to the poll deferral. He claimed that Maoist chairman Prachanda had not lost fascination for weapons and same was the case with the Maoist cadres.

It would be tough to bring the Maoists into the mainstream until their fascination for weapons diminishes, he added.

On continued disorder and impunity in the country, Koirala said, “The government is considering a special security plan.” When asked to elaborate, he said, “You better wait and watch.”

Jintao wins second term

Associated Press

Beijing, October 22, 2007

President Hu Jintao won a second five-year term as China’s Communist Party chief today, heading a new leadership line-up that features potential successors. Overall, Hu emerged politically stronger from eight days of highlevel political meetings and months of bargaining in the leadup. A party congress that wrapped up yesterday endorsed Hu’s signature policy programme to help the poor, and saw the retirement of a key rival. A Central Committee meeting today elevated a Hu protege, Li Keqiang, into the leadership. “We are aware of our difficult tasks and responsibilities,” Hu said while introducing the new nine-man Politburo Standing Committee, the party’s most powerful body. Yet the deals Hu struck became clearer with the inauguration of the new line-up of five holdovers from the last leadership and four newcomers. Key positions that oversee law enforcement and internal party investigations were given to associates of his rivals. Another younger politician and potential competitor to Li was also promoted. Hu’s ability to manage this disparate coalition will determine how united the party is in dealing with tensions over a yawning gap between rich and poor at home and managing China’s rising clout abroad so as not to anger the US and other world powers.