HM's message to World Hindu Federation meet

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has said that the essence of Hinduism with its emphasis on humanism, tolerance and respect for all is just as relevant in this strife torn present day world as it was eons ago.His Majesty the King said this in a message to the General Assembly of the World Hindu Federation being held in Gorakhpur, India.

In the message, His Majesty hoped that the assembly will be able to propagate this message to the larger audience and above all among the youths on whose shoulders rest the responsibility of keeping the faith.Stating that he was pleased to learn of the General Assembly of the World Hindu Federation being held in the sacred temple of Lord Gorakhanath in Gorakhapur, His Majesty has wished the summit all success in realising its goals.

HM transfers eight judges

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: His Majesty the King has, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 and at the recommendation of the Judicial Council, transferred eight chief judges of Appellate Courts.

According to a notice published today by the Press Secretariat of His Majesty the King, as Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Biratnagar, Baliram Kumar and Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Pokhara, Ram Prasad Shrestha have been appointed temporary judges at the Supreme Court, they have been transferred to the posts of and authorised as Chief Judges at the Appellate Court, Jumla and the Appellate Court, Dipayal, respectively.

Similarly, as Chief Judge of the Appellate Court, Patan, Khil Raj Regmi has also been appointed temporary judge at the Supreme Court, he has been authorised as Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Tulsipur while Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Rajbiraj, Sarada Prasad Pandit and Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Tulsipur, Mrs Sarada Shrestha have been transferred to the posts of Chief Judges at the Appellate Court, Biratnagar and the Appellate Court, Rajbiraj, respectively.

Likewise, Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Butwal, Dhruba Nath Upadhyay has been transferred to the Appellate Court, Nepalgunj, as Chief Judge, and Chief Judge of the Appellate Court, Nepalgunj, Hari Jung Sijapati to the Appellate Court, Patan and Chief Judge at the Appellate Court, Ilam, Rajendra Kumar Bhandari to the Appellate Court, Butwal, as Chief Judges.

Nepal-India talks on transport ends
Railway linkage to dry port still a dream

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: The secretary level talks between Nepal and India that ended today failed to reach an agreement on extending Indian railways to the dry port at Birgunj even after four days of discussion.

They also failed to reach an agreement on operating direct transport services between Nepal and Indian cities.

"There has been understanding on several issues related to the operation of the railways, but certain issues need to be finalised and they will be dealt through the diplomatic channel," a high-level source at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management.

The third round of talks had focussed on extending Indian railways to the dry port, and on the selection of the Terminal Management Company (TMC) to operate the dry port. The selection of the TMC will be made from among the joint venture companies.

Nepal has been demanding that it should have the right to customs clearance of third country imports at the dry port itself whereas India wants the customs clearance and container inspection to take place at Raxual, the border point on the Indian side.

Presently, customs checks are made at Calcutta, the port of entry, and at Raxaul, the point of entry into Nepal. The two sides have agreed to simplify documents and to check the 'one-time lock' at Raxaul.

The Ministry for Labour and Transport Management, in a press statement today, said that the two sides have agreed to meet again for further discussion.

The two sides had met to discuss on the draft agreement prepared by the earlier meeting on direct transport.

In the first two days of the talks that started Saturday, the two sides had talked on direct transport. On the next two days, the talks had focussed on the extending the railway lines to the dry port and on simplifying the customs procedures.

The Ministry's press statement said the two sides agreed on several provisions of the draft agreement. But further discussions are needed regarding the routes, points of entry, destinations and facilities to be provided to the vehicles made in third countries while allowing them into each other's territory.
The Nepalese team was led by Director General at the Department of Transport Management Chhabi Raj Pant, and the Indian side by Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport Alok Rawal.
Pant said, "The routes of entry and exit must be decided before transport services can begin between the two countries."

Regarding the concerns raised here about allowing Indian vehicles to enter Nepal freely, and their
impact on Nepalese transport entrepreneurs, Pant said that any decision would only be taken after mutual understanding and for mutual benefit.

RPP meet zeroes in on party policies

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) organised an interaction programme for the party's central observers here today.

Inaugurating the interaction, party president Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana shed light on the party's views in the present context after the cease-fire, communicating the party's policies, principles and programmes to the party workers in each and every district and systematically running the party consolidation programme.

Central members Bhuvan Pathak, Jog Mehar Shrestha and Balaram Ghartimagar also expressed their views on the occasion.

In the second session of the progamme, central member Parasuram Khapung presented the political synopsis adopted by the party's third central general convention and central member Bhuvan Pathak the organisation consolidation programme.

Another central member Khem Raj Pandit elaborated on the party's views on the present political context after the declaration of cease-fire.

Central members Mrs Prativa Rana, Roshan Karki, Toran Bahadur Gurung, Jagat Gauchan, Giri Bahadur KC, Mrs Durga Shrestha and all the central observers expressed their views regarding the working papers.

The party's observers deputed to 35 districts and central members took part in the interaction.

Nepal, Russia talk bilateral, other issues

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: The Nepal-Russia Inter-Ministers Consultation Meeting was held today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The delegation of the Russian Federation was led by Gleb A. Ivashentsov, Director-General of the Third Asia Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.

Ambassador of the Russian Federation Valery V. Nazarov and senior diplomats of the Russian Embassy were the members of the Russian delegation.

The Nepalese delegation was led by Joint Secretary at Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nabin Bahadur Shrestha.

Officials from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Education and Sports, Finance, Foreign Affairs, Home, Information and Communication, and Industries, Commerce and Supplies were the members of the Nepalese delegation.

Matters of bilateral relations and cooperation as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest were discussed during the consultation meeting.

Ivashentsov arrived here on 12th February on three-day visit in connection with the Nepal-Russia Inter-Ministerial Consultation Meeting.Nepal and the Russian Federation signed a protocol in Moscow on September 5, 1995 for bilateral consultations between the two Foreign Ministries.The protocol is mainly aimed at broadening exchange of views between the two Foreign Ministries on bilateral cooperation and on regional and international issues of mutual interests. The consultation meeting is held in both countries alternatively. Meanwhile, Director-General of the Third Asia Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Gleb A. Ivashentsov called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Narendra Bikram Shah at the latter's office at Shital Niwas this afternoon.Earlier in the morning, Ivashentsov paid a courtesy call on Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya at his office at Shital Niwas, separately.

Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Nepal Valery V. Nazarov was also present at the meetings.
Matters of bilateral relations and cooperation as well as regional and international issues of mutual interest were discussed during the meeting.

Taskforce on transport starts work

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: As per the ministerial decision of HMG, the vehicles and transport management policy formulation task force constituted under joint secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management Pratap Kumar Pathak has started functioning from today.
The task force will make endeavours to make the transport sector more sustainable, reliable, less expensive, more safe and convenient and resolve its prevailing problems.
The task force will hold interactions with various agencies and persons concerned with the transportsector and submit its report to HMG within two months.

One more digit in phone number

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: Citing lack of numbers as a reason for not being able to distribute telephone lines to the people, Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) has decided to add one more digit in all its existing five or six digit telephone numbers.

The new provision comes into effect from March 17, the NTC said here at a press conference this afternoon.

From next month, customers will have to punch 4 before dialing the existing telephone numbers in the Kathmandu Valley and either 4, 5 or 6 while trying to establish telephone contacts with the other parts of the country.

"The changes will be valid in all the telephone communication systems like V-SAT, Marts and V-H-F that are used throughout the country," NTC officials said.

"The change in the telephone numbers was necessary to establish inter-relations between the NTC and the NTC-affiliated providers of telephone services," said the officials.

The new numerical system has been introduced so that people waiting in a queue can get a telephone connection soon, reads a press release issued by the Corporation.

The NTC says that it can distribute over 25 million telephones after it increases the digits.
The only telephone and cell phone distributor of the country said that the new provision would help the government's plan of increasing the telephone density in the country to 15 per cent by 2017/18 B.S. from the existing 1.4 per cent.

According to the new provision, the number '5' will precede the existing telephone numbers in 44 districts while the number '4' will precede the telephone numbers in 23 districts. Likewise, the number '6' will precede the telephone numbers in eight districts of the country.

The NTC said that it has already informed international communities about its decision. The Corporation has established an information desk with telephone No. 191 to disseminate information about the new provisions.

Nepal-Australia cooperation discussed

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 13: Australian Ambassador Keith Gardner today paid a courtesy call on Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Badri Narayan Basnet and held consultations on the efforts made in the development, conservation and management of the forestry sector in Nepal and also on bilateral cooperation.

On the occasion, Minister Basnet thanked the Australian government for continuous cooperation in the field of forestry management for the last 40 years and stated that remarkable achievements had been made in the field of community forest development including manpower development under the cooperation.

Ambassador Garnder expressed happiness at being able to provide cooperation for the development of forestry in Nepal and said that the Australian government was keen on providing continuity to this kind of cooperation.

Also today, the Australian ambassador called on the secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation and exchanged views on bilateral cooperation and achievements in forestry development, the Ministry has stated.

Ex-Japanese PM recollects fond memories of Nepal

By Lok Deep Thapa

TOKYO, Feb. 13: Former Japanese Prime Minister and President of Japan-Nepal Parliamentary Friendship League Ryutaro Hashimoto has expressed concern over the Maoist issue. "I have, till now, known about this problem only through media reports, and I do not know much about it. But I am concerned how the government and the Maoists are going to resolve this serious problem," he told The Rising Nepal.

He mentioned how happy he had been when chartered flights had started from Kansai Airport in Japan, "However, I am worried that any growth of Japanese tourists going to Nepal did not take place even after this, because of security concerns."

In a half-hour-long meeting with this scribe at his private office in Tokyo, Hashimoto, who is also a sitting Member of Parliament of Japan, expressed sincere thanks to all the Nepalese who wished him speedy recovery when he fell seriously ill last year.

An avid lover of the Himalaya, former Premier Hashimoto told this scribe that he wanted to send a "very personal" message to all his Nepalese friends through The Rising Nepal for showing so much concern and wishing him well when he had to undergo a heart surgery, soon after he returned from Nepal last January.

Hashimoto fondly recollected memories of The Rising Nepal as soon as he briskly walked into his private chamber.

In fact, the first thing he said as he saw this scribe when he entered the room was, "Perhaps, it is The Rising Nepal which has interviewed me the most number of times among the foreign media, especially on mountaineering."

Hashimoto also took note of the 50th anniversary of the ascent of Mt. Sagarmatha, which is being observed in Nepal. He expressed hope that there would be several chartered flights from Japan to Nepal on that occasion and that more Japanese would visit Nepal. He also viewed that the Mountaineering Museum in Pokhara would attract more tourists from his country to Nepal.
When asked what kept him busy these days, he told in length and in detail about the World Water Forum, which is going to be organised in Japan in the last week of March. Hashimoto is president of the preparatory organising committee of the Forum. Nepal's Water Resources Minister will be attending this Forum which is being held in Asia for the first time.

Mentioning that it was a hectic and difficult task, as so many countries with different demands are participating in it, the former Japanese premier jokingly said, "He would gladly exchange his present position with anyone."

He, however, expressed the belief that the final achievement of the Forum would determine the quantity of safe and sanitary water that can be provided to as many people as much as possible.
He expressed sincere happiness that Nepal was also participating in this forum. "However, from the reports and proposals I have received, I have come to know that demands of up-river countries like Nepal and other countries situated down river, are completely different," Hashimoto said. "We have to make really difficult judgements," he added.