Quote Unquote (Spotlight Weekly)

"Rectify your mistake. Become the prime minister for three more years and hold the elections yourself then."

Girija Prasad Koirala, former prime minister and president of the ruling Nepali Congress, requesting Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to work toward reinstating the lower house of parliament, talking to a gathering of party workers in the eastern region, in Kantipur.

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"Be it on the implementation of the land reforms program or on the maintenance of law and order, the party never helped me."

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, addressing a gathering of representatives of the Nepali Congress general convention in the capital.

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"If the party president does not revoke the decision to expel Prime Minister Deuba, we might be forced to go to the extent of splitting the party."

Khum Bahadur Khadka, Home Minister and influential leader of the ruling Nepali Congress, in Gorkhapatra.

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"If it has to be revoked, why was such action taken in the first place? I was not consulted when the party decided to take action against Prime Minister Deuba. Therefore, I don't know what the party will do now."

Chakra Prasad Bastola, former foreign minister and close aide to party supremo Girija Prasad Koirala, when asked if the action against Deuba would be revoked, in Bimarsha.

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"I told the Norwegian envoy, who is mediating in the peace process in Sri Lanka, to ask Prabhakaran to refrain from providing such training when he himself is moving toward peace."

Bal Bahadur Kunwar, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, stating that the Tamil Tigers are providing training and other support to Nepalese Maoists, in Spacetime daily.

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"Since we share a border with Nepal, we have a lot of interest in Nepal's peace and security. We are hopeful that peace will return soon in Nepal. The Chinese government will give necessary assistance to Nepal."

Wu Congyong, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, talking to reporters after returning from a visit to Gorkha district, in The Kathmandu Post.

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"Though there is democracy in the country, there are no democratic norms here."

Sushil Pyakurel, member of National Human Rights Commission, expressing concern over the human rights situation in Nepal, in Himalaya Times.

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"I am surprised, we have century-long relations with the British, the two countries are close on many issues; but during the England-Argentina game, there were hardly any England supporters here."

Prakash Chhetri, former player of NRT Club, on the craze for Argentina among Nepalese fans, in Himalaya Times.

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