Kathmandu, October 26:

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today met Chinese ambassador Zheng Xianglin and British ambassador Andrew Hall, and explained to them why the government is against a declaration of a republic and election based on an all-out proportional representation system as demanded by the Maoists.

Sources said Koirala convinced the envoys why the Nepali Congress (NC) was against a declaration of republic and an all-out proportional representation.

“Much of what Girijababu stressed in talks with the envoys is filtering down. He has merely

reiterated that it was not in the fitness of things to go against what is mentioned in the interim constitution,” said NC Central Working Committee (CWC) member Laxman Ghimire.

Koirala had conferred with US envoy Nancy Powell, German envoy Franz Ring and and Danish envoy Finn Thilsted yesterday.

Koirala explained how going for an election based on an all-out proportional representation system could lead to disintegration of the nation and why the mixed electoral system is best for the nation. “There is a strong possibility of the PM letting the parliamentary proceedings take their own course when it comes to deciding the fate of motions tabled by the CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist,” Ghimire said.

Meanwhile, Sujata Koirala, who heads the NC’s foreign policy cell, said: “The talks are in fact extension of the ongoing efforts to seek cooperation to resolve the continued disagreement over the two main issues reinforced by the Maoists”.

Nembang meets Prachanda

KATHMANDU: Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang on Friday called on political parties to settle the current political crisis by three days. Talking to reporters, Nembang urged parties to settle political crisis within three days; otherwise, the problems would become more serious, he said. Nembang on Friday met Maoist chairman Prachanda in Prachanda’s residence. During the meeting, Nembang discussed with Prachanda political issues and proposals registered in the parliament by the Maoists to declare a republic and full proportional representation system in Constituent Assembly polls. — HNS