Their Majesties visit China from Feb. 26 to Mar. 4

Kathmandu, Feb. 19 (RSS): Their Majesties King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah will pay a state visit to the People’s Republic of China from 26th Feb. to 4th March 2001 at the invitation of Jiang Zemin, President of the People’s Republic of China.

Their Majesties will be accompanied by His Royal Highness Prince Nirajan Bir Bikram Shah. Chakra Prasad Bastola, Minister for Foreign Affairs, will also accompany Their Majesties.

On 26th Feb. Their Majesties will arrive in Kaikou in Hainan Province of the People’s Republic of China. Later in the evening, Their Majesties will grace a dinner hosted in Their Majesties’ honour by the Governor of Hainan Province.

On 27th Feb. His Majesty the King will attend, as the guest of honour of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the inaugural ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia to be held in the city of Boao in Hainan Province. His Majesty will also meet the President of the People’s Republic of China in Boao, Their Majesties will leave Haikou on 28th Feb. and arrive in Beijing the same afternoon.

On 1st March, Their Majesties will be accorded a warm welcome at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing by Jiang Zemin, President of the People’s Republic of China. Later, a meeting of the two heads of state will take place in the Great Hall of the People. The president will host a state banquet in honour of Their Majesties the same evening.

On 2nd March, His Majesty will receive in audience top leaders of China. Their Majesties the King and Queen will grace a reception hosted in honour of Their Majesties by Rajeshwar Acharya, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

Their Majesties will leave Beijing for Shanghai the same day. Later in the evening, Their Majesties will grace a dinner hosted in Their Majesties’ honour by the Mayor of Shanghai.

Their Majesties the King and Queen are scheduled to return to Kathmandu on 4th March 2001.

CWC for serious talks with Oppn. to end standoff

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb. 19: The Central Working Committee meeting of the Nepali Congress has decided to  call all the opposition parties in the parliament for a serious dialogue to end the stand off, use of force and physical attack in the parliament.

Now, Prime Minister and Party President Girija Prasad Koirala and party leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai will be monitoring the situation and will be taking appropriate decision to defuse the situation.

Speaking at the meeting, the Prime Minister and party President said that considering the gravity and the complexity of the situation the Nepali Congress must reach to decision to end the stalemate in the parliament. But, he said, the conclusion of the meeting should tally with the party’s responsibility towards the country and the people.

The meeting was held in a virtually crisis-ridden situation with all the opposition parties obstructing the parliamentary proceedings by demanding the resignation of the parliament. Today, they even assailed the ruling party MPs and Minister Omkar Shrestha to block the house proceeding.

The CWC meeting held today also took a decision to act unitedly against the stalemate in the parliament. The meeting also condemned the physical assault on Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation inside the parliament’s chamber.

Talking to the press after the conclusion of the meeting, CWC member Narahari Acharya said the meeting discussed on the opposition’s demand of the resignation of the Prime Minister but the meeting found that the demand as irrelevant.and not pertinent in resolving the present crisis.

"The meeting did not take the resignation of the Prime Minister as a way out of the present problem," said Acharya.

He also said the meeting also found other issues as raised by some media, such as mid-term election or the formation of national government not pertinent in resolving the present crisis.

The meeting had focussed on resolving the problem through serious negotiation with the opposition parties, he said.

Acharya also said the process of dialogue would start from tomorrow with the Prime Minister himself, members of the government and some MPs taking the lead.

At the meeting, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said at this moment all Nepali Congress MPs should realise the seriousness of the situation and, thus, present themselves in a unitedly at the House.

He said, "I had asked Girija Prasad Koirala to leave one of the two posts he has been holding. But in the present context that issue is irrevalent."

Speaking at the meeting former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said he does not hold Prime Minister Koirala responsible for the present situation although he along with some have been voicing their reservations about Prime Minister.

He said, from now on they would present themselves at the parliament keeping themselves within the parliamentary norms and the party discipline, albeit putting forth their views within that perimeter.

Meanwhile, speaking to the press after the meeting, MP and a CWC member, Bijay Kumar Gachhadhar said the main issue is to end the present deadlock in the parliament. For that, he said, the oppositions should be persuaded to take part in the parliamentary proceeding. The present issue is a political issue and it should be dealt with politically, he said.

Opposition seek action against minister

Kathmandu, Feb. 19 (RSS): The Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Rastriya Janamorcha, Samyukta Janamorcha-Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the CPN-UML have alleged that Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Omkar Prasad Shrestha had indulged to rowdyism and demanded with the Speaker to take immediate action against him under the rules.

The parties have made the demand in an application addressed to the Speaker and registered at the Parliament Secretariat.

In the application, Minister Shrestha is alleged to have repeatedly hit Rajendra Prasad Panday of the CPN-UML with blows of the fist when the opposition MPs entered the well seeking the resignation of the Prime Minister for his alleged involvement in the Lauda Aircraft lease deal.

The application says, "We are startled at the hooliganism resorted to by the government and it is a serious incident."

The parties made the same allegation at a press conference held at the CPN-UML parliamentary party office.

As per information given at the press conference, Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol today went to Bir Hospital to see MP Panday who has been hospitalised there for medical treatment.

It was also stated at the press conference that the problem would not be resolved by forcibly conducting the proceeding of the House instead of seeking a way out politically.

The application addressed to the speaker has been signed by MPs Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Nabaraj Subedi, Leela Mani Pokharel, Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani and Madhav Kumar Nepal.

The parties published a press statement here today stating that the struggle in Parliament in connection with the resignation of the Prime Minister would be taken ahead effectively and a mass meeting held to inform the public at large of the issue.

MULTIPARTY DEMOCRACY
Fair assessment of gains must: Joshi

Kathmandu, Feb. 19 (RSS): Minister for Information and Communications Shiva Raj Joshi has pointed out the need for one and all to analyse the achievements and weaknesses of the ten years since the restoration of democracy before reaching any conclusion.

Minister Joshi, who was speaking at a colloquium on "Five decades of democratic Nepal" organised by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) central committee on the occasion of National Democracy Day here today, stressed the need for all to not decry the achievements made so far and work together for improving the multiparty system.

FNJ President Suresh Acharya spoke of the need for occasional discussions between political parties and professional organisations to consolidate and institutionalize democracy.

CPN-UML standing committee member Jhalanath Khanal called for a restructuring of state machinery as faulty rules regarding the formation and restructuring of constitutional bodies has been an obstacle to the establishment of the rule of law.

Referring to the World Bank report which has put the percentage of people living below the poverty line in Nepal at 53 per cent, he stressed the need for pro-poor governance.

CPN-ML central member Devi Prasad Ojha threw light on the deteriorating economic, social and political conditions of the country, while RPP spokesman Kamal Thapa called for improvement in politicians’ morality and conduct and in the system.

Press council chairman Harihar Birahi said the communications media has played a positive role in bringing to light the mistakes and weaknesses and in building popular opinion on democracy.

Representative of Nepal Engineers’ Association Yuvaraj Sharma described a growing tendency to serve one’s vested interests as the root cause of all anomalies, while FNJ general secretary Taranath Dahal spoke about the salient features of democracy.

Minister Shrestha defends Lauda Air agreement
‘White Paper on the Deal Soon’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb. 19: Tourism Minister Omkar Prasad Shrestha today said that the Lauda Air deal was transparent. He said the government would soon make public its White Paper.

Shrestha also defended the cabinet’s recommendation to the central bank to provide the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) with the foreign exchange that RNAC had no alternative but to settle the deal through dialogues.

"The Corporation had no choice but to settle the deal with the Lauda Air through dialogue as they were unable to hire an aircraft even after repeated calls for sealed tenders and a sealed offer," Minister Shrestha told a press conference here this noon. The press conference was organised after the opposition party MPs prevented him from informing the House of Representatives about the Lauda Air deal in today’s session that was adjourned immediately after it started.

"The deal is transparent and the per seat cost of Lauda Air plane is less than others," Shrestha said. "The per seat cost of Lauda Air plane is 14.98 US dollars. Its cheaper than the plane leased from China South West Airlines (CSWA) which costs 16.2 dollars while the per seat cost of the Australian Ansette aircraft would be 17.21 dollars." The RNAC settled the deal with the Austria based Lauda Air after the Ansett Worldwide Services changed its service conditions.

Shrestha opined that the Corporation failed to comply with the instructions of the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee due to a time lag. "The Corporation had fulfilled all the formalities of the agreement before the PAC instructed it to stop," said Shrestha. "The Corporation could not retract from the agreement as it would jeopardise the image of the nation let alone the institution."

Shrestha maintained that the Corporation’s move could be taken as its responsibility to abide by the agreement it reached with an international company and an attempt to protect the image of the nation internationally.

Shrestha said that a Nepalese operation team would take over the operation of 767-300 ER Boeing that arrived to Kathmandu on December 1 but didn’t specify the date.

He said that it was unfair on part of the opposition to drag the government to a deal settled by the RNAC, an autonomous institution. "It is too early to speculate about the profit and loss of an aircraft that is leased for one and half years."

Row over Lauda takes ugly turn
Omkar Shrestha ‘manhandled’ NC flays attack on Minister

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb. 19: The row over Lauda Air deal reached a new height today after the main opposition party lawmakers initiated fist fights that turned the House of Representatives into a pandemonium and spurred the ruling party to issue a condemnation against the main opposition’s "ignoble acts."

Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party denounced today’s event as a condemnable act for the consolidation of the parliamentary democracy. The Congress Parliamentary Party passed a condemnation resolution on today’s bedlam at the Lower House of Parliament, allegedly started by Members of the Parliament from the main opposition party within few minutes of today’s meeting.

The Ruling party’s condemnation came after the fifth-time-in a-row adjournment of the Lower House meeting that was marred by the main opposition lawmakers’ apparent acts of manhandling, forcing Speaker Tara Nath Ranabhat to adjourn the House till tomorrow morning.

The Opposition political parties, led by CPN-UML, have been disrupting the House proceeding since the Parliament’s 19th Session a couple of weeks ago demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister over Lauda Air deal.

Today, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Avaition Omkar Prasad Shrestha became the target of UML MP Ranjendra Pandey when Shrestha was about to furnish clarifications regarding the much talked about aircraft deal made by nation’s national flag carriers, the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation.

The Opposition Members of Parliament led by Rajendra Pandey manhandled Minister Shrestha as he was heading towards the rostrum. After the physical assault from the UML MP Pandey, MPs from both ruling and main Opposition parties joined the bedlam. Minister Shrestha said that today’s physical assault on him had come in a premeditated way.

"No sooner I headed towards the rostrum after Speaker called my name than MP Rajendra Pandey assaulted me, I could not tell how badly I was beaten," said Minister Shrestha at a press meet at the Congress Parliamentary Party office soon after the House bedlam." My spectacles were broken and I also lost my black cap, the woebegone Shrestha told the press.

Shrestha said: "sloganeering and picketing during the House session are natural, but attacking a minister while going to put forth the government’s views on critical issues is against the parliamentary practice and thus is condemnable."

Shrestha disclosed that the UML MP, KP Sharma Oli, had threatened him while he was in Speaker’s Office after the House episode. "The attack might have been a result of a premeditated plan which has made me really serious," Shrestha added.

Minister for Law, Justice and parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur said it was not good for any MP to use force in the Parliament. Thakur was present at the House when the fist fight among lawmakers were going on.

It was very unfortunate and sad to see other ruling party MPs, who tried to save Shrestha, were also attack, said Thakur, who was among few ministers present at the House despite having Cabinet meeting.

The State Minister for Education and Sports Dilendra Prasad Badu, State Minister for Home, Hari Sapkota, Physical Planning and Construction Suresh Malla, State Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Shiv Basnet said that they were also attacked while trying to save Minister Shrestha.

MP Ram Baran Yadav said that the UML MPs attacked many ministers. He said other Opposition MPs like Buddi Man Tamang of Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Lila Mani Pokhrel of United People’s Front tried to intervene but no MPs from UML tried to interfere to stop the brawl.

Congress MP Ram Nath Adhikari said he was manhandled when he requested UML leaders to stop the fight. After the deliberation of the MP Shiv Humagain and Farmullah Mansur, the Congress Parlimentary Party passed a condemantion resolution. A few MPs also demanded for the investigation of the today’s event. But the Congress Chief Whip, Binay Dhoj Chand said after discussing the issue with parliamentary party leader, the party would take necessary steps.

Bastola stresses Nepal, Myanmar cultural ties

Kathmandu, Feb. 19 (RSS): Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola visited Mandalay, the second biggest city of Myanmar, famous for its artistic Buddhist Monasteries on February 17, according to the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Yangon.

Mr Bastola was recieved at Mandalay International Airport by senior officials of the central command, Mandalay and people of Nepalese origin living there.

Mr Bastola also visited the Pashupatinath and Durga temples in Pyi Oo Lwin where men and women of Nepalese origin gathered in large number to welcome him.

These two temples built side by side reflects Nepalese culture and religion.

A reception was also organised in honour of the Minister by the Akhil Myanmar Deshiya Gorkha Hindu Dharmik Sangh at the premises of the Durga temple.

Addressing the gathering, Minister Bastola expressed happiness over the good condition of the Nepalese community and the love and respect they have won from the Government of Myanmar.

Mr Bastola said that cultural exchange and direct airlink between Nepal and Myanmar were discussed during the bilateral talks

Minister Bastola also visited Pin Chin Pagoda, Maha Nanda Monastery and other places of cultural importance.

In the evening, Minister for Foreign Affair Bastola attended a dinner hosted by major General Ye Myint, Commander of the central command at the Nanmyo guest house in Mandalay.

Likewise, Minister Bastola visited the Myanasankya Golden Temple, the religious guest house and Hindu temple where he addressed a gathering of people of Nepalese origin on February 18.

He also attended a luncheon hosted by the Nepalese community in Mandalay.

Minister Bastola was accompanied by senior officials of the Foreign Ministry and the Charge d’Affaires of the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Yangon during the visit.

Mr Bastola also attended the reception hosted in his honour by the Royal Nepalese Embassy and the Nepalese working in U.N. agencies on the same day.

Meanwhile, Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola left Yangon for Bangkok this morning on his way back to Nepal after attending the 3rd trade-economic ministerial meeting being held from February 14-15 and his official visit to the Union of Myanmar from February 16-19, according to the Royal Nepalese Embassy, Yangon.

Minister Bastola was seen off at Yangon International Airport by U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Union of Myanmar, Thura U Aung Htet, Director General of the Protocol Department, the Charge d’Affaires of the Royal Nepalese Embassy and other embassy officials.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Bastola is scheduled to return home tomorrow.

Democracy Day marked nationwide

Kathmandu, Feb. 19 (RSS): Reports on the celebration of the 51st National Democracy Day have been pouring in from different parts of the Kingdom.

Janakpurdham: On the occasion of the National Democracy Day, senior superintendent of police Surendra Bahadur Palikhe laid the foundation stone of a city police office building to be constructed at ward No. 8 of Janakpurdham on Sunday.

The Two Kattha 10 Dhur land for the building was provided free of cost by the priest of the Janaki Temple Ram Tapeshwar Das Baishnav.

Dailekh: A talk programme on the inevitability of democracy was organised at the local open-air-theatre in Dailekh Bazaar on Sunday on the occasion of the National Democracy Day.

Inaugurating the talk programme, former MP and CPN-UML central organization discipline committee member Binod Kumar Shaha said the Maoist problem should be resolved through dialogue.

He said democracy was under threat due to various anomalies and aberrations that have found way into the political system and the growing violence in the country.

Mayor of Narayan Municipality Rabindra Raj Sharma stressed the need for understanding among the political parties at the centre and the local level for the protection and preservation of democracy.

Chief District Officer Shankar Prasad Koirala pointed out the need for co-operation from all sides for resolving the problems of the district.

A host of speakers shed light on the significance of the democracy day at the programme presided over by DDC chairman Tek Bahadur Khand.

Tansen: At a function organised here to mark the occasion, chairman of the 51st National Democracy Day celebration main district committee and acting DDC chairman Nuraraj Basyal said that the shortcomings of the leaders of the political parties should not be equated to the shortcomings of the system.

Former MP Hari Nepal, Nepali Congress Palpa district president Rajan Pant, Mayor of Tansen Municipality Ashok Shahi, president of Palpa district Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pashupati Bhattarai, Campus Chief Choleshawar Sharma and others also addressed the function presided over by acting DDC chairman Basyal.

Meanwhile, Chief District Officer Janardhan Nepal gave away prizes to the inmates of Palpa district jail winning various competitions organised to mark the occasion.

Bidur: A mass meeting was held here by the district level celebration committee on the occasion of the 51st National Democracy Day on Sunday.

A dance competition was organised on the occasion which was participated in by students of Bhairav Secondary School, Chuhadi Secondary School and Tribhuvan Higher Secondary School.

The programme was addressed by acting chief district officer Ram Mani Pokharel, convenor of the district Landless Squatters Problem Resolution Commission Bishnu Prasad Adhikari and headmaster of the Trishuli Higher Secondary School Prem Lal Shrestha.

DDC vice-chairman Narayan Prasad Khatiwada chaired the programme.

Rasuwa: The 51st National Democracy Day was celebrated in Rasuwa district by organising a variety of programmes on Sunday.

The local Nawaprativa Kala Mandir Cultural Organisation had put up a variety cultural show on the occasion.

DDC chairman Bhim Lal Hirachan gave away a cash prize of Rs 6,000 to the cultural troupe.

Hetauda: The district National Democracy Day celebration committee organised a public rally and a mass meeting on the occasion of National Democracy Day on Sunday.

Addressing the mass meeting, MP Krishna Prasad Dahal underlined the need for cooperation of all the Nepalese people in safeguarding democracy, constitution and nationality.

At the programme presided over by DDC chairman Rameshwar Rana, DDC vice-chairman Badri Prasad Lamsal and Chief District Officer Durga Prasad Pokharel also expressed their views.

Earlier, a procession with colorful floats went around the own chanting various slogans highlighting the importance of the National Democracy Day.

Repeated Bandhs irrational

Kathmandu, Feb. 19 (RSS): As protest programmes like transport strike (Chakka Jam) often resorted to by the responsible political parties in the country to express their differences with some targetted groups or the government would have a serious and negative impact on the nation’s socio-economic and tourism sector, His Majesty’s Government needs to take appropriate steps to stop and discourage such forms of protests.

These view were expressed at a seminar on "Chakka Jam and its impact" organised under the joint auspices of Nepal Police, Nepal Tourism Board and Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) here today.

On the occasion it was pointed out that the government should make legal provisions in order to stop and prevent such programmes like Nepal Bandh (general strike) and Chakka Jam since these forms of protest programmes which are often undertaken with the political motive cause social disturbances and project a negative image of the country to the outside world.

The participants of the seminar which included people from various sectors of social life blamed the political parties for organizing such types of programmes that ruin the national economy from time to time.

Inaugurating the seminar, Minister of State for Home Hari Sapkota said that such protest programmes (Nepal Bandhs and Chakka Jam) were not in anybody’s interest since extreme forms of protests like these have negative impact on the country’s social and economic sectors causing disruption in the daily normal life of the people.

Everybody is free to express their differences in a democracy. But that does not mean that they should create an environment of violence, disturbances and anarchy in the society, the Minister of State said, pointing out the need to discourage such extreme forms of protests from every level of the society that affect the livelihood of the general people.

Inspector General of Police Pradip Shumsher J. B. Rana said that the practice of calling for Nepal Bandh even on trivial issues would have a negative effect on the civil society.

He stressed the need to make legal provisions banning such types of Chakka Jams on the key national highways even in extreme cases.

Director of Nepal Tourism Board Tek Bahadur Dangi and Hotel Association Nepal President Narendra Bajracharya urged His Majesty’s Government to think over the problem since protest programmes like Chakka Jam and Nepal Bandh have the greatest impact on the country’s tourism sector.

Presidents of the Consumers’ Forum Kathmandu and Lalitpur Dil Ram Shakya and Nawaraj Mahat respectively said that protest programmes like bandhs and Chakka Jam have jeopardised the consumers’ rights.

Working papers on the effects of such protest programmes in various parts of the country were presented on the occasion.