BANKE: Acting president of Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala today said the main concern of the country was to draft the new statue on time and take the peace process to a logical conclusion. He urged all the parties to forge consensus on a common national cause.

Addressing the inaugural session of second regional conference of Nepal Health Workers' Association in Nepalgunj today, Koirala said, ''Maoist combatants should be managed for a meaningful end to the peace process.'' He opined that the combatants should be deployed to guard the forest or an industrial estate but not be integrated in the Nepali Army. Their integration into the national army could invite another conflict in the country.

Accusing the UCPN-Maoist of often hindering the peace process, Koirala urged the former rebels to work responsibly for the betterment of the country and its people.

Warning that declaration of federal states would fuel the dispute among ethnic groups, he made it clear that the government and other political parties were not compelled to fulfill their unjustifiable demands. Stating that an all-party meeting would decide on the Maoist demands, he added, ''We will disagree if the Maoists stick to their stance of blaming the president.''