Kathmandu, July 2

Talks Facilitation Committee formed by the Nepal Bar Association to facilitate talks between agitating forces and the government has intensified its efforts to bring both sides to the negotiating table.

Both sides have not been able to hold formal talks for the last 7-8 months.

Senior Advocate Shambhu Thapa, who heads the NBA’s committee, said they would meet major political party leaders this week to learn about their views on negotiated settlement of the constitutional issues raised by the Federal Alliance and chances of talks.

Thapa said the committee would meet all the political parties in an attempt to facilitate negotiated settlement. “First of all, we want to hear both sides’ views. We will give our suggestions in the end but we will do so within the ambit of the constitution, keeping in mind the constitutionalism and past constitutional history,” Thapa said, adding that it was natural for the lawyers’ umbrella to help facilitate the talks between the two sides.

“We live in a different world where global justice becomes a matter of all human beings’ concern. So we cannot say that the issue of justice raised by our citizens cannot be an issue of our concern,” Thapa said, adding that finding a solution would not be difficult if all sides followed certain principles.

Talks Facilitation Committee held talks with the representatives of the FA yesterday. “The FA has taken our initiative very positively and it has asked us to build pressure on the government to hold talks,” Thapa said and added that the committee was also collecting data of those who were injured and killed during the protest.