HM confers decorations

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev conferred various decorations awarded on the occasion of His Majesty's auspicious 56th birthday, at a function held at Narayanhity Royal Palace this morning.

His Majesty conferred the Gaurabmaya Supradeepta Birendra Prajatantrabhaskar (second) on Prabhakar Shumsher JBR of Kathmandu. On the occasion, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev was also present.

Also present was Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand. Similarly, those conferred the Subikhyat Trishaktipatta (second) were National Assembly Member Ramesh Nath Pandey, Chief Commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Suryanath Upadhyaya, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Belgium Narayan Shumsher Thapa, Inspector General of Police Pradeep Shumsher JBR, former secretary general of the parliament secretariat Ishwar Prasad Upadhyaya and Birendra Bahadur Shaha.

His Majesty also conferred the Prasidda Prabal Gorkha Dakchinbahu (second), the Supradipta Birenda Prajatantrabhaksar (third), Bikhyat Trishaktipatta (third), Suprabal Gorkha Dakchinbahu (third) and Prakhyat Trishaktipatta (fourth) on various individuals of Nepal and from abroad.

Meanwhile, His Majesty the King has decorated various personalities awarded different kinds of decorations by His Majesty the King on the occasion of His Majesty's 56th auspicious birthday at the second investiture ceremony held at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace this afternoon.

His Majesty the King, on the occasion, decorated 270 personalities from different sectors with the Prabal Gorkha Dakshin Bahu (fourth), the Trishaktipatta (fifth), the Gorkha Dakshin Bahu (fifth), the Prahari Ratna, the Prahari Parakram Padak and the honorary title of Royal ADC.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev was present on the occasion.
Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand was also present at the ceremony.

Felicitations

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 26: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has felicitated Dr. Thomas Klestil, President of the Republic of Austria, on the occasion of the National Day of Austria.
In a message of felicitations, His Majesty the King has extended best wishes for President Klestil's personal health and happiness as well as for the progress and prosperity of the people of Austria.

Best wishes

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 26: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has wished Dr. Wolfgang Schussel, Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, on the occasion of the National Day of Austria.
In a message of felicitations, Prime Minister Chand has extended sincere congratulations to Chancellor Schussel, wishing him good health and happiness as well as progress and prosperity of the people of Austria.

US envoy

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: US Ambassador to Nepal Michael Malinowski today paid a courtesy call on Minister for Finance Dr. Badri Prasad Shrestha at the latter's office at the Ministry of Finance.
During the meeting, the ambassador assured of continued us cooperation to Nepal.
Likewise, Finance Minister Dr. Shrestha said that HMG will take ahead the reforms programme with commitment and heartily thanked the us government for the continuous cooperation of the us government in the social and economic development endeavours of Nepal.
Director of the US cooperation mission Joanne T. Hale was also present on the occasion.

Nepal committed to free trade within SAARC

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: The fourth SAARC trade fair organised jointly by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and the Trade Promotion Center commenced today at the Birendra International Conference Center.

The five day fair is being participated in by all SAARC countries except the Maldives.
Nepal has 76 stalls at the fair, India has 80, Bangladesh 25, Bhutan ll, Pakistan nine and Sri Lanka four.

Inaugurating the fair, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand said the advancement in globalisation and information technology has posed both opportunities as well as challenges.

Integration into the mainstream of the world economy needs to be well founded on a sound and sustainable export capacity, enhanced competitiveness and economies of scale, which can be ensured only with regional and sub-regional economic cooperation, he said.

As economic liberalisation and privatisation are the main policy focus in the region, the private sector has to play a pivotal role in enhancing mutual cooperation and economic integration, he said.

Pointing out that Nepal's first ratification of the agreement on the SAARC preferential trading arrangement (SAPTA) supported with tariff concessions is clear mainfestation of its commitment to the integration and expansion of development potentialities and market complimentarity in this region, he hoped the process towards a free trade regime within SAARC will help the region to emerge as an important economic group in the long run.

In line with the economic liberalisation policies followed since 1990, Nepal has opened financial, capital and insurance markets, an open, transparent and attractive investment policy has been adopted with a view to promote both foreign and domestic investments for the development and modernisation of hydropower, tourism, transport, communication and industries, and necessary reform in the legal regime has also been effected with a view to attracting foreign investors, he said.
The open trade regime has further made foreign investments more attractive with adoption of simplified trade procedures, delicensing of exports and imports, low tariff structure, free convertibility of Nepalese currency in the current account, he said and invited all potential traders and investors of the region to extend their hands of cooperation in mutually advantageous projects in Nepal.

SAARC Secretary General Q.A.M.A. Rahim said as South Asia is developing as a big market various multinational companies are looking for opportunities in this region, adding that we should respond by fostering an appropriate atmosphere.

He also said that draft of the South Asia Free Trade arrangement would be ready by the end of this year. SAARC Chamber of Commerce Chairman Padma Jyoti spoke about the concept of partnership for the development of this region.

FNCCI chairman Rabi Bhakta Shrestha spoke of the need for mutual understanding and cooperation among SAARC countries to boost trade .

Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Bhanu Prasad Acharya and trade promotion center executive director Dev Bahadur Rokaya also expressed their views.

CIAA files cases against two policemen

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed cases on corruption charges at the Special Court Kathmandu against police inspector Kumar Bahadur Katuwal working at the District Traffic Police Office, Morang, and police inspector Shailendra Kumar Sharma working at the office under the police headquarters for presenting fake certificates of educational qualifications for getting promotions and other facilities, the CIAA has stated.

Katuwal had presented the certificate which showed that he had passed the Madhyama Examinations in second division in 1992 from Bihar Sanskrit Education Board, Patna, in a bid to get promotion and perks.

Likewise, police inspector Sharma had presented the certificate that showed he passed the intermediate examinations in second division in 1995 from the UP Board of Intermediate Education with the objective of receiving promotion and other benefits.

The fake educational qualification certificates investigation committee under the police headquarters had sent their certificates to CIAA for further scrutiny.

Major parties stress constitutional way out

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: An all party meeting today said that the resolution to the present political situation should be obtained on the basis of the counsel and recommendations of the six parties that represented in the House of Representatives before it was dissolved.

They said that the exit from the present complex political situation lies within the Kingdom's constitution and in the sincere following of the democratic norms and values. The meeting, called by the CPN-UML at its party office at Balkhu, was the continuation of its meeting on Wednesday, and today they repeated their stance that the council of ministers be formed as per Article 128 of the Consititution.

"The council of ministers should be constituted according to the will of the Nepalese people expressed through the popular movement of 1990, the spirit of Constitution preamble and article 128 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal," a joint statement issued after the meeting today said.
The formation of the cabinet, said the parties, should have been done by nomnating the representatives recommended by the political parties on the basis of their suggestion and consent.
The six parties meeting, attended by CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress General Secretary Sushil Koirala, RPP President Surya Bahadur Thapa, Sadbhavana Party General Secretary Hridyesh Tripathi, Jan Morcha Nepal President Amik Sherchan and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party President Narayan Man Bijukucche, said that the situation of the nation has complicated further due to the constitution of the present council of ministers by undermining the suggestion of these parties.

Koirala lays emphasis on unity

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said political parties in the country are presently going through a crisis of confidence and that it would not in anyway help resolve the current problem.

Speaking at a workshop organised by Nepal Trade Union Congress here today, president Koirala said Maoists and poverty are the two main problems confronting the nation and that His Majesty the King and the political parties should work together confidently to resolve the problems.

He also expressed the view that reinstatement of the dissolved house of representatives is the only way out of the current crisis.

Situation challenging, says Deuba

RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct. 25: Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba chaired an interaction programme among the central committee members of the party and the district presidents on the prevailing adverse circumstances arising following the royal promulgation and other current issues.

On the occasion party president Deuba said the present situation has provided both challenges and opportunity to make the party a representative body of All Nationalities, Dalits, Women, Terai People and all sectors and reach it to the local level by getting rid of anomalies and aberrations existing in the country.

Taking part in the interaction programme, the district presidents expressed the view that the Maoist problem came into being as the party was unable to utilise the full majority given twice by the public, the then party leadership developed a tendency of treating the party workers as mere slaves and that the party was overrun by anomalies and nepotism which encouraged the party workers to revolt against it.

This should not be repeated in the Nepali Congress (Democratic), they said. The interaction programme will continue tomorrow, says a release of the party here today.

India wants to see stable, prosperous Nepal

RSS

NEW DELHI, Oct. 25. The Indian government believes that political stability and development in Nepal is possible only through consolidation of the multiparty democratic system and Constitutional Monarchy.

Spokesman of the Indian External Affairs Ministry Navtej Saran, speaking to visiting Nepalese journalists yesterday, said India wants the consolidation of both those institutions.

Pointing out that India does not want to say anything about the internal affairs of Nepal, he said India is confident that such problems will be solved through the constitutional process. Expressing confidence that elections will be held and a government constituted soon in a democratic manner, he said India believes that through this there will be peace, stability and development in Nepal.

The spokesman said India is against terrorism and denounces the terrorist activities in Nepal.
In response to a question about the Maoists, he said India has been exteniding full cooperation to Nepal and many of them had been arrested and send to Nepal.