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Govt-Maoist talks likely next week
Kathmandu, May 10: Padma Ratna Tuladhar, a human rights activist has said the government and Maoist guerrillas are
likely to begin initial round of talks in the near future to end the six-year-old insurgency in Nepal.
Tuladhar is a part of a committee of human rights activists and lawyers formed sometime ago to
facilitate talks between the government and Maoist insurgents. The committee met today and
decided to meet the home minister and authoritative representatives of Maoist guerrillas within a
week and create an environment for talks to end the violence. Tuladhar, convenor of the committee,
said that they would first acquire information about their intention, seriousness and condition for
talks adding that if both parties agreed, talks would be held soon. Another member of the
committee said that talks are likely to be held next week because both the parties have expressed
willingness to come to the negotiating table.
The facilitators' committee comprises Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Daman Nath Dhungana, Sindhu
Nath Pyakurel, Gauri Pradhan and Sudip Pathak. The committee was formed at the people's
level to facilitate talks between the government and the guerrillas. The committee has already
met representatives of the government and the Maoist rebels and discussed conditions and
modalities for the talks. The government has expressed willingness to end the insurgency
through dialogue. Similarly, Maoist leaders have also said that they would come to the
negotiating table provided their safety was guaranteed. Nepalnews.com/yl/at
Swiss climb Pumori
Kathmandu, May 10: Two Swiss climbed the difficult and dangerous 7161 meters high Pumori through the south ridge Sunday, the Ministry of
Tourism said quoting a delayed report from base camp. Leader of the five member team Ulrich
Buehler, 35, and Ueli Stock, 25, stepped on the summit at 5 PM local time, the Ministry said. Climbers on Mount Everest are waiting for a break in the bad weather
at base camp to attempt the 8848 meters high peak world's tallest peak sometime next week, a spokesman of the Ministry said. Altogether 13 teams are attempting to climb the peak this spring
season that ends May 31. Babu Chiri Sherpa,35, who holds a speed climbing record of Everest,
died in a fall on the peak this month in the only casualty of the current climbing season.
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Seven dead, 55 injured in bus accident
Kathmandu, May 10: Seven persons were killed and 55 others were injured, five seriously, when a bus fell 200 feet down a highway Thursday morning 20 kms northwest of the capital. Among the injured were some foreigners. Five persons died on the spot and two others at hospitals, police said. Most of the injured were treated at Bir Hospital and Teaching Hospital. Twernty-six of the 28 injured treated at Bir Hospital have returned home, hospital sources said. British national Freyle Maisira was among those treated at Bir Hospital. The bus was travelling to Dhunche from the capital. The bus fell down the highway following a mud collapse.
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Preparations
finalized for Zhu's visit
Kathmandu, May
10: Preparations have been finalized for Chinese Prime Minister Zhu
Rongjhi's three-day official visit to Nepal beginning Monday, officials
said. Zhu is visiting Nepal five years after President Jiang Zemin came in
1996; the visit signifies the high level contacts between the leaders of the
two neighbours; King Birendra paid a state visit to China earlier
this year.
Five agreements are
being signed during the visit, Nepali and Chinese officials said. An
agreement to build the Syaphuribeshi-Rasuwa highway--the second road
link between Nepal and Tibet-- is being initialled; agreements to construct
a hospital for civil servants and a polytechnic at Banepa are also being
signed; two other agreements on technical, economic and agriculture
co-operation are also being concluded. The second road link with Tibet is
expected to boost cross border trade.
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