HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

PM interacts with parties on code of conduct for talks
Govt keen to enlist support for peace: Pandey

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Mar. 11: A meeting of four political parties called by Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand today discussed the preparation of the code of conduct for the peace talks to be held between the government and the CPN (Maoist).

"In today's meeting, the parties gave valuable suggestions which the government will incorporate while preparing the code of conduct," Minister for Information and Communications as well as government spokesman Ramesh Nath Pandey told journalists after the meeting.

Minister Pandey said that the four parties - Nepal Samata Party (NSP), Rastriya Janmukti Party (RJP), Nepal Hariyali Party (NHP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party - nationalist (RPP) - expressed regret over the stance taken by the major political parties against the government's efforts to restore a lasting peace in the country.

"They have emphasised that the major parties must extend support to the government in its bid to transform the cease-fire into a permanent peace," he said.

He said that the restoration of peace was the aspiration of the people as well as a necessity. "Thus, every one should contribute to making the peace talks successful," he added.

Asked why the major parties have refused to attend the all-party meeting, Pandey said, "The government wants to move ahead by enlisting the support of all the parties. The Prime Minister has been insistently requesting them to attend and play their role in reinstating peace. We request them to giving up their petty interest for the larger interest of the country. They must be open minded."
On Monday, the two major political parties - the Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) failed to turn up for the all-party meeting called by the Prime Minister.

Pandey hinted that since these two parties have failed to provide any recommendations, their suggestions would not be incorporated in the code of conduct.

At the meeting today, NSP vice-president Daya Nanda Thapa, general secretary Dr. Laxmikant Pandey and central committee member Basant Raj Kharel; NHP President Badri Prasad Khatiwada, general secretary Govind Dev Pant and Pushpa Prasad Luintel; Ram Chandra Thapa, Ganeshbal Tamang, Ganga Rai, Kehar Singh Rana and Singh Bahadur Tamang of the RJP and Ganesh Sherchan of the RPP- Nationalist were present.

With the meeting that took place today, the series of all-party meetings called by the Prime Minister has concluded for now.

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