Kathmandu, November 1, 2007

Leaders of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist today held several rounds of bilateral and multilateral talks, but talks could not reach any consensus on the two key issues of a republic and all-out proportional representation system of election. “We have not been able to reach a consensus on the two key issues though we held extensive discussions,” Maoist chairman Prachanda told media persons at his party’s parliamentary party office. He said that the discussions on the issues will continue tomorrow at the NC’s and UML’s request. He said that they may have to go for voting on the Maoist proposals tomorrow if consensus was not reached by tomorrow afternoon. However, the UML and the Maoist have reached an understanding that they would vote for republic and PR system in case a voting takes place. “All the republican forces will vote in favour of republic and PR system. We and the UML may withdraw one of the respective parties’ proposals and support one of the proposals of either party,” Prachanda said. He, however, said that they were still trying to avoid voting by reaching an understanding on those issues with the NC as well. Maoist’s parliamentary party leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara revealed that the NC had only agreed to pass a resolution on a republic in parliament subject to endorsement by the CA. UML standing committee member Amrit Kumar Bohara said that his party is trying to evolve a consensus among all the democratic and republican forces on the issues. “If a situation of voting arises, the republican forces will come together and vote in favour of the motion,” Bohara told reporters. He said that the proposals of both the parties could be merged into one before the vote.

Beat it: Let’s have a swell time in US

Kathmandu, November 1, 2007

Thirty-seven MPs representing various parties will be in the United States of America soon to participate in the UN General Assembly. Some among the 37 have already left for the US, some are are preparing to fly after the Tihar festival. Each MP will stay for 11 days in the US. The trip was planned some months ago and MPs call it a “yearly affair”. “They will take part in the General Assembly committee meetings and deliberations,” Surya Bahadur Gurung, General Secretary at the parliament secretariat, told this daily. NC chief whip Ananda Prasad Dhungana said the lawmakers will take part in discussions on Nepal and will deliberate on Nepal’s current situation. Asked who would sponsor the trip and the expenses, MP Govinda Bahadur Shah, who will fly to the US after Tihar, said, “The government will sponsor the MPs but an MP will have to bear the expenses of spouse, if accompanied.” Shah said this time they have been granted the least number of days.