Kathmandu, June 3:

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today pledged to provide assistance worth $100,000 for earthquake victims of China.

He made this pledge to Nepal Workers and Peasants Party leaders Narayanman Bijukchhe and Sunil Prajapati who met the PM this morning over contemporary politics.

“It will be a small assistance but will have symbolic meaning as we share close and historic relations with China,” Bijukchhe who is also the president of Nepal-China Friendship Association told this daily. Over 68,000 people were killed in the May 12 earthquake in Sichuwan province of China.

The NWPP leaders requested the PM to facilitate quick appointment of 26 members to the Constituent Assembly, find solutions to the problem of government formation and election of the new head of state.

“We told Koirala that the new PM and the President should be appointed on the basis of simple majority, as that is the only solution to the current political deadlock. The PM responded positively to our concern” Bijukchhe said. The NWPP leaders also drew the attention of the PM on Maoist supremo Prachanda’s ‘derogatory’ remarks against other parties and their leaders and his outburst against the Press.

During their meeting, the PM asked Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula to brief the NWPP leaders on his meeting with former king Gyanendra that took place yesterday.

“The PM wanted to know our views on Gyanendra Shah’s concerns about residence particularly for his mother Ratna and grandmother Sarala. We told the PM that it would be better if the government provided residence for them outside the Narayanhiti Palace,” Sunil Prajapati told this daily.

The NWPP leaders also told the PM that political parties and civilians have been suffering at the hands of YCL and therefore the parties should try to strike a balance before handing power to the Maoists “who would control virtually everything — from Maoist army to Nepal Army and Armed Police Force — after attaining power.”