NC leaders to Maoists: Abide by past agreements for alliance

As CPN-Maoist appears all set to lead the new government following its huge victory in the election, the party's top bosses have intensified parleys with leaders of the seven parties to discuss about the formation of the new Maoist-led government and the technicalities of the first sitting of the constituent assembly, which is expected to abolish monarchy.

In this course, CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda and his deputy Dr Baburam Bhattarai held an hour-long discussion with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and other Nepali Congress leaders at Baluwatar Friday morning.

During the meeting the NC leaders are learnt to have told the Maoist leadership straight off that only after the former rebels immediately stop "intimidation and violent activities" and fully abide by the past agreements and understandings can there be any working alliance between the two parties.

Including PM Koirala, NC's outgoing acting-president Sushil Koirala, vice presidents-duo Prakash Man Singh and Ram Chandra Poudel and central leader Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat were present in the meeting.

According to vice president Poudel, there was an agreement in the meeting to keep the unity between the main political parties until the transition period is over and a new constitution comes into being. He said there was also agreement on calling the seven-party meeting soon to decide on the composition of the new government.

Poudel also said the NC leaders also told Prachanda, who had come there to discuss about the composition of the new government, that people displaced during the decade-long insurgency should be rehabilitated, that they should return the property they had seized to their rightful owners.

The NC leaders also urged the Maoist leadership to make an enabling atmosphere by stopping attacks against leaders and activists of other parties. To this, the Maoist chairman said that he has already given strict direction to the party's cadres against engaging in such activities.

The NC leaders are also learnt to have told the Maoist leadership that they would hand over the reins of the power to the new Maoist led government through the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly itself.

In turn, Prachanda told PM Koirala that the as the peace process is yet to reach a desired conclusion the seven party unity and collaboration is still needed. He added that the future government should be formed in consensus of all parties, requesting that nobody should doubt the intention of the Maoists as the party has already come to peaceful politics and has gained popular mandate.

On Thursday, chairman Prachanda had met the outgoing General Secretary of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal and urged him to review his decision to pull out of the current coalition government.

Meanwhile, Chief of United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) Ian Martin also went to Baluwatar to meet PM Koirala Friday and discussed the CAelection results, integration between Maoist PLA and Nepal Army and the
role of UNMIN in the changed context.

During the meeting, Martin apprised Koirala of the role played by UNMIN for the successful holding of the polls.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Martin said CA election itself is not the end of peace process and that there are still many issues that has to be addressed.

It is also important that parties should work together on what needs to be done to consolidate the peace process, Martin said, adding that UNMINwould help in consolidating the peace process as per the priority of the future government. nepalnews.com ag Apr 18 08