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Nepal, India continue trade talks

Nepal and India continued secretary level talks for the second day Friday to review a bilateral trade treaty that is up for renewal later this year.

Nepal's Commerce Secretary Bhanu Prasad Acharya and Indian Commerce Secretary Prabir Sen Gupta lead the respective delegations. Talks are expected to end Saturday.

India has been accusing Nepal for allegedly dumping processed goods in the Indian market. Nepal has been pressing India to start a direct railroad service linking a dry dock at Birgunj and the Indian port city of Calcutta.

Bilateral trade balance is in India's favour. nepalnews.com br Aug. 3

Deuba given party’s full mandate to talk to Maoists

Nepali Congress gave its full mandate to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to hold talks with Maoist leadership for solving more than six-year old armed insurgency in the country.

The central committee of the ruling Nepali Congress that convened in Kathmandu Friday discussed the Maoist issue and gave its clear mandate to Prime Minister Deuba to hold talks with Maoists and bring it to a logical end, said a central committee member who was present in the meeting.

In the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister Deuba briefed the central committee members about the recent developments in connection with the peace process with Maoist rebels. The meeting then asked Deuba to go ahead for talks with the rebels, for which the party has full backing, said general secretary of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala.

The central committee meeting was called to discuss the recent ceasefire between the government and Maoist rebels and the development of the peace process.
The next meeting would be held on Monday. nepalnews.com yl Aug. 3

Chief Election Commissioner retires prematurely

Chief Election Commissioner Bishnu Pratap Shah retired Thursday four years before the expiry of a six year term, an Election Commission official said.

Shah retired after reaching the compulsory retirement age of 65 years. Shah was a former administrator and anchaladish. nepalnews.com br Aug.3

Tourist arrivals pick up

Tourist arrivals picked up in July but was still below average, latest figures released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said. Altogether 15,176 tourists arrived in July compared to 10,238 visitors in June.

Arrivals declined by 29.06 percent in July compared to the same month the previous year. Overall tourist arrivals declined by 56.86 percent in June and Indian arrivals fell by 72.48 percent in the same month following the royal palace carnage and the adverse  Indian  electronic media coverage of the event.

Third country arrivals  fell by only 21.98 percent in July and 30.36 percent in June compared to the previous year. Altogether 181,825 tourists visited Nepal in the first seven months of the year 2001, an overall decline of only 3.90 percent. nepalnews.com be Aug.3

Maoist leader ends hunger strike

Detained central leader of the underground Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) Matrika Yadav ended his one-week long hunger strike Thursday at the presence of human rights activists and Home Ministry officials.

Yadav, who has been in Nakkhu Jail for the last one-year, started his hunger strike demanding reforms in jail and additional facilities for the prisoners. He was admitted to Bir Hospital last Friday as his condition worsened.

He ended his hunger strike in the hospital as Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka assured that the government would fulfill all his demands except the ones that require policy changes, said Padma Ratna Tuladhar, former Minister and human rights activist. 

Tuladhar was one of the human rights activists who mediated between the Home Minister and striking Maoist leader Yadav. The government has been flexible towards Maoists, as the rebels have halted their all offensive activities and established contact with the government for a peace deal to end the insurgency.

Only yesterday, the government decided to release ten more Maoist workers from different jails. Last week, it released 15 Maoist workers. Similarly, Maoist rebels have released some policemen who were in Maoist captivity in a response to the government's decision.

Tuladhar said that both sides appear to be committed to solve this problem peacefully and the recent decisions are indication of that. Tuladhar also played key role in mediating between the government and the Maoist leadership.

Almost 2000 people have already been killed in the insurgency for the last six years. nepalnews.com yl Aug. 2

Human error cause of crashes

Human error was the cause of two crashes last year that claimed the lives of 25 persons, including three crew members, probe reports released Wednesday said. 

RNAC pilots of a Twin Otter tried to land at Dhangadhi on a flight from Bhajang on July 27 in poor visibility conditions without adequate knowledge of the conditions around the airport, a report said. Twenty-five persons, including three crew members, died in the crash. Justice Ram Krishna Shrestha headed the seven member probe. 

The crash of a Dronier of Gorkha Airlines at Lukla on a flight from Kathmandu on November 2 was also the result of pilot error, a report said. Nobody died in the crash. The six member probe was headed by Joint Secretary Yagya Prasad Gautam. nepalnews.com br Aug. 2

RNAC board to consider suspension of Europe flights

The board of Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC) will meet this week to consider an executive decision to suspend flights to Europe and Dubai from September 2 at the beginning of the peak tourist season, an aviation source said.

Nepal's state airlines flies to Frankfurt, Paris and London in Europe. The Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN) has flayed the decision. The  "shocking decision" will adversely affect the hotel industry, a HAN statement said. 

The suspension of flights comes after RNAC decided to prematurely terminate a lease for an aircraft with China Southwest Airlines two months ahead of its expiry on Sept 27 leaving the airlines only two aircraft to operate its international sector. 

The lease with CSWA is being terminated from Sunday, a source said. Financially strapped RNAC has agreed to pay CSWA dues in installments by December this year while terminating the agreement. RNAC earlier annulled its controversial lease with Austria's Lauda Air.

The decision also comes following declining tourist arrivals. Overall tourist arrivals declined by an unprecedented 56.83 percent in June as Indian arrivals fell by 72.48 percent during the same period. nepalnews.com be Aug. 2.

New Chinese ambassador to Nepal appointed

Wu Cong Yung has been appointed new Chinese ambassador to Nepal, the People's Review said Thursday quoting a Chinese embassy source. 

Wu is consul general at  the Chinese embassy in Japan. nepalnews.com be Aug.2

NTB extends festival to attract Indians

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has extended by another two months the Nepal Festival of Life (NFL)  promotional campaign to attract Indian tourists after the three month campaign ended Tuesday. 

The NTB started the campaign in India after arrivals started declining following the Christmas eve 1999 hijacking of an Indian Airlines Airbus by suspected Kashmiri militants while on a regular flight to New Delhi from Kathmandu.

The arrivals dipped by an unprecedented 72 percent in June after the June 1 carnage at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace in which King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya were killed.

The NFL gives Indian visitors discounts and incentives at hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, among other things. nepalnews.com br Aug.2

Indosuez withdraws from Nepal

The French bank  Credit Agricole Indosuez Wednesday became the second foreign bank to withdraw from Nepal, a banking source said. 

The bank announced its decision to sell its 50 percent stake to a Nepali group at a meeting of the board of directors. Prithvi Pandey, a former promoter of the Himalayan Bank, bought the shares at Rs.296 million.

The French bank withdrew from Nepal citing worsening economy even as Finance Minister Dr.Ram Sharan Mahat earlier this year announced a policy change to give majority share holdings to foreigners in joint venture banks to attract foreign investments. Rashtriya Banijya Bank and Beema Sansthan own 15 percent stake each in the joint venture bank while the general public holds 20 percent stake.

The Bank of Siam became the first foreign bank to withdraw from Nepal as it sold its state in the Bank of Kathmandu to Nepalis citing internal feud amongst promoters. nepalnews.com br Aug.2

Seven killed in truck mishap

Seven persons died on the spot when a truck fell off a  mountain road near Sahajpur in Kailali district Monday night, police said. The truck was plying between Dhangadi and Dipayal.

Bad weather is hampering a rescue effort, police said. nepalnews.com br Aug. 1

Two Japanese smuggling beetles arrested

Two Japanese illegally smuggling  expensive beetles to Japan were arrested Sunday, police said.

The arrested were identified as Shiyiji Kabae and Kiyoshi Girohi. They were apprehended with 271 beetles. They were arrested as they were boarding a RNAC flight for Osaka. Two Japanese were arrested last year for illegally collecting beetles that fetch thousands of dollars in the international market  but are easily and cheaply available in Nepal. nepalnews.com be Aug.1