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Meetings close to reach understanding on Madhes problem

A series of meetings held between agitating Madhesi leaders and leaders of seven parties are said to have reached close to understanding.

According to Anil Kumar Jha, coordinator of the talks team of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), the meetings were reaching close to consensus based on give and take on Madhesi demands. Details of such understanding have not been disclosed yet. But some reports say, the understanding could be made public on Friday.

On Wednesday, a series of meetings had taken place. The meeting of top leaders of the three main ruling parties, Nepali Congress, CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist) had also taken place on Thursday to discuss Terai stalemate and the demands of the agitating Madhesi parties.

Maoist chairman Prachanda, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba and some other leaders discussed the six demands floated by the UDMF including guarantee of autonomy to Terai with right to self-determination, but could not reach any conclusion.

None of the leaders were ready to speak to media persons following the meeting held at Prime Minister's residence, Baluwatar.

The three-party meeting came a day after the 'failed' negotiation between the Prime Minister's representatives and UDMF leaders held at the Indian Embassy.

The UDMF, which has been enforcing a general strike in Terai region since past nine days, snubbed the Election Commission's deadline to file the closed list of candidates for proportional election system on Wednesday. On the ninth day of their strike, Thursday, Terai turmoil continued with curfew imposed in Biratnagar and other places in the region.

In anticipation of early breakthrough in negotiations with the UDMF, the government today convinced the Election Commission to set another deadline (Feb 24) for submitting the closed list. nepalnews.com mk/sd Feb 21 08