WTO accession talks likely in April

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KATHMANDU, March 6 : Nepal is gearing to enter soon into the third round of bilateral negotiations for its membership to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The third round of Working Party meet is likely to closely follow the bilateral negotiations.

Sources talking to The Kathmandu Post said that final preparations are on for entering into the next round of bilateral and multilateral negotiations for WTO membership. "The negotiations are likely to be held in April," a source said.

The third round of negotiations and Working Party meet for Nepal’s accession to the WTO is likely to take up the issues that was deferred or remained unresolved during the second round of bilateral and multilateral negotiations held in September last year.

Nepal then had carried out bilateral negotiations with the European Union, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Canada, India, Sri Lanka and the United States. However, other countries were also present during the Working Party meet.

Negotiating countries then had raised a number of queries and clarifications in systemic issues and sought broader and deeper commitments to market access. Sources said that necessary revision has been made and has already been communicated to the negotiating countries.

"Nepal has sent its revised offers. The upcoming negotiations are likely to be the final round. If things move as planned, we could become a WTO member within the next few months," the source claimed.

The revision has been made especially in two fronts, including binding tariff and opening up of service sector to global players. Negotiating countries had raised objection over the difference in the binding tariff proposed by Nepal and the applied tariff.

Likewise, the WTO member countries had also asked Nepal to open up more service sectors, against the initial offer of only three. "We have scaled down the binding tariff offer to some extent. And we have sent a list of 25-30 service sub-sectors on which we are ready to negotiate," said the source.

Apart from tariff binding and service sector opening, the third round of negotiations will also focus on a number of other issues that were raised during the previous negotiations and Working Party meets. They had asked Nepal to abide by a number of agreements, which are not mandated by the WTO to be imposed on least developed countries.

Some of such agreements relate to information technology and government procurement, including the adoption of chemical and textile chemical harmonization processes. The source said that further negotiations would be needed in these areas.

In addition, Nepal is likely to ask the WTO member countries for technical and financial assistance to enhance its capacity so that it is able to survive and meet all obligations under the WTO framework.

If the negotiating partners do not raise further objection to Nepal’s new offers and the concerns are not duly addressed, then Nepal’s berth in the WTO would be reserved after completing the formalities in the third Working Party meet.

Officials are of the view that no complications are likely to arise this time. "We have addressed the legitimate concerns of our trading partners. They should, as promised, address our genuine concerns as well," the source said.

The third round of negotiations and Working Party meet on Nepal’s accession to the WTO, hence, is being expected to pave way for Nepal’s WTO membership within the next few months, possibly during the fifth ministerial meet that is scheduled to be held in September in Mexico.

Hopes on the country’s WTO membership also run high as the developed member countries, during the Doha ministerial meet held in November 2001, had pledged to provide accession to LDCs on a fast track basis.

So far, not a single LDC has acceded to the WTO since its establishment in 1995. Nepali government officials had claimed in 1998 that the accession process would be completed by mid-2000, which was later extended to July 2001, and then deferred yet again.

Nepal had obtained the observer’s status in 1989 during the General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) regime, and continued to be an observer to the WTO since 1995, the year when the WTO came into being.

Crown Prince to inaugurate Western Industrial Trade Fair

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KATHMANDU, March 6 : His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev is scheduled to inaugurate the Western Industrial Trade Fare 2059 going to be held in Pokhara from March 10 to 14, states a press release issued here today by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI).

The fair is going to be organised by the local chambers of commerce and industry associated with FNCCI in cooperation with Export Promotion Center of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. It is being held as per the policy of organizing such industrial fair in all the five development regions.

A total of 225 stalls are participating in the event and a special and modern dome would be set up in for the fair, adds the release. Apart from the local industrial products, handicrafts, tourism-related activities, the fare will also showcase activities of the government and non-government organisations to promote the industrial activities of the region.

This fair is a part of the various programmes planned to make the export year 2003 successful, is the second one in the series of industrial exhibitions planned for the current year. The first one was held in Chitwan from January 10 to 17, 2003.

The objective of the fair is to accelerate a balance and coordinated development of commercial sector, promote local exports and import substitution goods and to enhance commercialization of Pokhara by promoting local tourism, states the release. The organizers hope that the upcoming fair will also contribute to promote a healthy competition among the domestic enterprises by boosting internal consumption of their products.

Petroleum transporters threaten to go on strike

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BIRATNAGAR, March 6 : Association of Petroleum Transporters has warned of staging a strike from March 11 if Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) still shows laxity in responding to its 37-point demand.

"Every oil tankers throughout the country will go on a strike from next week, if NOC fails to meet our demands," said Shiv Prasad Ghimire, Vice President of the association.

The warning of the association for a nation-wide strike has come following the actions taken by the corporation against nine oil tankers on the grounds of transporting adulterated oil. As the NOC took strong action against oil tankers carrying adulterated oil carrying tankers, the association has presented a 37-point demand to the corporation demanding immediate withdrawn of the charge on the nine oil tankers.

"Even the air flights of the country would be badly affected when we call for nation-wide oil tankers strike," added Ghimire.

Besides asking for withdrawal of the charge-sheet against those oil tankers, the association has also asked the corporation to adopt international standard while examining the quality of oil. The demands of the association among others include representation of the association in transport commission. The association has also demanded full responsibility in receiving route permit for Indian parts.

The concerned officials of the corporation concede that the strike threat would be solved with the charge clearance of alleged oil tankers. "As soon as we revoke the charge of the oil tankers, the association will surely withdraw the strike call," said Kanak Bahadur Thapa, regional manager of NOC, Biratnagar.

The corporation has already released five oil tankers out of the alleged nine. And with the strike threat from the association, the remaining four may have a good chance to be released.

The corporation even has called up the association in the upcoming board meeting to resolve the ongoing tussle between NOC and the association. Thapa said that the dispute would be sorted out in the upcoming board meeting.

The senior officials of the association are also optimistic of the resolution of the ongoing row between the oil transporters and the corporation. "We are hopeful that upcoming meeting would settle the dispute between us," said Ghimire adding, "We, however, are not going to make any agreement under the pressure of the association."

Police detain tainted officials

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BIRATNAGAR, March 6 : Nepal Police has detained Bhogendra Chaudhary, the then loan officer of the Agricultural Development Bank, Rangeli Branch and Govinda Shrestha, manager of the Amardaha Credit and Savings Cooperatives on charges of fraud.

They were arrested on Monday after a complaint was filed against them, stating that the Amardaha Credit and Savings Cooperatives was provided with Rs 600,000 as loan against the overvalued collateral equal to Rs 250,000. Chaudhary had sanctioned the said amount on June 5, 2001.

According to the police sources, the land situated at Hetauda Municipality was kept as collateral to the Bank, and the Bank had valued Rs 1.1 million for the land, which in fact was worth less than Rs 250,000. The total due loan has gone up to Rs 784,000 with the interests.

Police officials say that primary investigation has revealed that the bank manager has misused the fund in the name of the co-operatives. "Co-operatives’ manager Govinda Shrestha has claimed that the bank manager took the loan in their name and later informed that he had used it his personal works, but we had never asked for a loan."

Libero bike launched

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KATHMANDU, March 6 : Morang Auto Works (MAW), the authorised distributor of Yamaha Motor India Limited, has launched Libero, a king-size Yamaha motor bike in the Nepali market.

Speaking at a press meet, Vishnu Kumar Agrawal, Chief Executive of MAW, said that Libero surpasses motorbikes of other brands in the fuel-efficient segment, as the new bike gives better mileage, has longer wheel base and higher ground clearance.

He said that Libero is powerful and stylish and gives a mileage of 85 kilometres per litre under standard condition at the same time, which is not possible with other bikes of the segment.

Libero is a 4 stroke, 106 cc bike with 7.5 bhp is environment friendly and less noisy compared to other bikes of the segment. Agrawal said that the bike has been awarded Most Exciting New Bike of the Year by Overdrive Magazine.

Available in champagne gold, safari green, candy maroon and midnight black, the new bike is priced at Rs 100,900 with an introductory offer of Rs 910 discount. The bike will be available in major cities and townships of the kingdom.

Tourist arrivals via land shows signs of improvement

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BHAIRAHAWA, March 6 : The by-land tourist arrival through the Belahiya checkpoint has revealed that the present cease-fire announced by the Government and the Maoist has resulted in visible increase in tourist inflow into Nepal through land routes.

According to the Immigration office at Belahiya, the total by-land tourist arrival through this immigration point was 4,750 in February, a 90 per cent increment compared to the tourist inflow recorded in the similar period last year. Some 2,480 tourists had entered Nepal during February 2002.

Though the majority of them come by air, the land tourists also constitute almost 20 per cent of the total tourist arrival figures of Nepal. Of the eight points through which tourist come to Nepal, Bhairahawa is a major one. According to the statistics, almost half of the by-land tourists enter Nepal through this point.

The increased inflow of the by-land tourists has brought some hope among the local tourism entrepreneurs that their good days are coming back. Kiran Pratap Basnet, a local hotelier, who was looking for an alternative to his business, now hopes that the business would pick up again.

"The days in post-cease-fire period has been really good," he says adding that the situation has changed from a month ago when just one or two rooms used to get occupied. "Now I have been able to sell ten to twelve rooms everyday," he adds.

The views of many others are much similar to the expression by Bista. Professionals say insecurity, the state of emergency and the frequent general strikes are cited as major factors contributing to a sharp decline in tourist arrival in 2002.

They say that many tourists feel safe these days and sense that the internal security situation has increased significantly. Deepak Chhetri Neupane, President of Siddharthanagar Hotel Association, says that the announcement of cease-fire has a positive impact on tourism.

However, he adds, the only fear is that the tourism can face the hard days again if the government and the Maoist fail to reach any understandings through the peace negotiations. Shrestha informed that a number of hotels were put for sale due to downturn in the industry. There are a total of 35 hotels, which are members of the association.

Vice-president of the association Tilak Thapa points out the need to formulate a better policy for the revival of the tourism industry. "The ailing business should be provided with some concessions. Other industries get concession in electricity charge but not our industry", he adds.

"Tourists usually schedule their programme 6 months ahead so it will take time for the cease-fire to have an impact on the whole industry." adds Thapa, stressing upon the need to bring appropriate policies.

According to the Immigration Office, a total of 46,174 tourists had come through the point in 2000. The number fell down to 35,932 in 2001 and further declined to 26,438 during last year. According to the figures, 8,932 tourists came in January and February this year, an increment from 5,157 tourists’ arrival in the same period last year.

Alcohol counterfeiters arrested

KATHMANDU, March 6 (PR) - Nepal Police has arrested Dipak Bhandari, residing at Kathmandu –16 Myehpi, on charge of manufacturing and selling adulterated and sub-standard alcohol, states a news release issued by Central Police News Room today.

Bhandari was caught with the alcohol-processing equipment, states the release. Rajkumar Bhandari, an accomplice and brother of the culprit, was also caught in the raid.

The culprit duo were found filling sub-standard alcohol in bottles and sealing them with counterfeit bottle-seals and bottle-labels of famous alcoholic brands, such as Royal Stag, Bagpiper, Khukuri, Blue Riband, Virgin, Caravan and Dhudiya Special. The confiscated equipment include empty gallons, empty bottles of various alcohol brands, paper-labels of famous brands, and a machine for preparing counterfeit seals.