News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

PM Chand

PM Blasts At The Big Parties

Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand blasted at the major political parties for not taking part in the all-party meet convened by him on Monday (February 17). His own party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, also did not attend the meeting saying that it would like to take part in the meeting along with other major political parties. Talking to reporters after the meeting attended by some half a dozen small parties not represented in the dissolved parliament, the premier said the government had kept doors open for dialogue with the major parties. "May be, they may have felt ashamed towards the past developments," Chand said. He was referring to the call by the parties to postpone elections last year as per Article 127 of the constitution. Rajdhani, Feb. 18.

Nepal-India Talks Progressive

Officials from Nepal and India discussed each other's drafts on criminal matters and the extradition treaty on the second day of the talks on February 17. Leader of the Nepali delegation and joint secretary at the Foreign Ministry, Dr. Madan Kumar Bhattarai, said that the updated version of the 1953 extradition treaty and the agreement on mutual legal assistance were taken up in Monday's meeting. The meeting will conclude on Wednesday. Compiled from reports Feb. 18.

Bir Hospital To Be Developed As NAMS

Nepal's oldest hospital, Bir hospital, will be developed as the Nepal Academy for medical Science (NAMS), authorities said. In co-ordination with ten other major hospitals in the Kathmandu valley, the NAMS will provide basic and higher training in different disciplines of medicine, to produce expert health personnel within the country. "As NAMS alone can't provide training in all disciplines, it will co-ordinate with other specialized hospitals," said Dr. Upendra Devkota, Minister of Health. Minister Devkota added that to join this course a doctor must have served at least for one year in district hospitals. In the initial phase training will be provided to around thirty doctors. "The specialization course will reduce the number of MBBS doctors going abroad," said Dr. Manohar Lal Shrestha, Director of the Bir Hospital. "After conversion to NAMS, the hospital will provide out-patients service from 9 a. m. to 5 p. m.," said Dr. Shrestha. He also pledged that the hospital will provide quality along with quantitative medical service to general public. Compiled from reports.

BNDP Urges Donors To Link Aid With Refugee Repatriation

One of the Bhutanese political organizations in exile, Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), has demanded that donor countries and agencies link their assistance with resolution of the Bhutanese refugee impasse. The call comes days ahead of the Round-Table Meeting on Bhutan of the donors in Geneva on February 18 and 19. Talking to reporters here Sunday, R B Basnet, President of the BNDP, also urged India - the largest donor to Bhutan with annual assistance running over Rs.8 billion-to help sort out the refugee imbroglio. Meanwhile, thousands of refugee children demonstrated in refugee camps in eastern Nepal Sunday to press for their rights to get educated in the schools in their motherland. Police intervened and used force when the refugee students were trying to come out of the Goldhap camp for demonstration. Compiled from reports.

NEPSE Swings

After recording an upsurge for the two consecutive weeks, Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index, slid by 3.97 points last week. The Nepse index, which was recorded at 215.18 on the opening day of the last week, plunged to 211.21 point on the closing day last Friday, the NEPSE said. The recovery in the secondary market recorded during the last two weeks was attributed largely to the cease-fire between the government and Maoist rebels.The plunge in index last week was due to poor performances of all the groups enlisted at Nepse, excluding hotels. Compiled from reports.

RNAC To Be Converted Into Public Ltd. Company

The state-owned Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) is to be converted into a public limited company, a senior official said. Assistant Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, said that the government would finalize the modality of public limited RNAC within a month. A committee headed by Dr. Shanker Sharma had recommended the government either to privatize the loss-making national flag carrier or convert it into a public limited company further splitting it into separate domestic and international companies. As per the recommendations, a strategic partner will be allowed to invest up to 60 percent of the total investment in the corporation. Space Time Feb. 15.

Indian Assistance For Polytechnic

The Government of India is considering a proposal submitted through HMG/Nepal for the establishment of a Polytechnic in VDC Hathimunda, Morang (10 kilometers from Biratnagar airport). The Polytechnic will be set up in the memory of former Prime Minister of Nepal Manmohan Adhikari, and will also stand as an enduring symbol of Indo-Nepal friendship, the Indian embassy in Kathmandu said. The Indian assistance will cover all capital costs, including construction of administrative and instructional buildings and hostel and residential complex, procurement of all necessary equipment and furniture, and books for the library. The Polytechnic will offer 3-year diploma courses with 48 seats each in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Mechanical Engineering. In addition, short courses will be available, with 24 seats each, for training in trade skills such as Electrician, Plumber, Automobile Mechanic, Fitter, Machine Operator, Electronics Mechanic, Refrigeration Mechanic, Carpenter and Welder-cum-Fabricator. Compiled from reports. Feb. 18.

Ex-Gurkha Soldiers Bring Out Peace Rally

Hundreds of former Gurkha soldiers and their family members took out a peace rally in the capital, Kathmandu, Saturday as part of the worldwide anti-war demonstrations. They were carrying placards denouncing war and in favor of peace. Krishna Kumar Rai, secretary of the Gorkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organization (GAESO), the organizer of the peace rally, said that his organization protested the forceful use of Gurkha soldiers serving in the British army in the possible US-led war against Iraq. One of the placards carried by women members in the rally said that war gives rise to widows and orphans. They also called upon for respecting the United Nations and international laws. Thousands of Gurkha soldiers had fought valiantly in the First and Second World War. Meanwhile, hundreds of youth joined Pushkar Shah, a renowned cyclist, in a peace rally in the capital Saturday. Compiled from reports Feb. 16.

PM Refuses Int'l Mediation

Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has rejected the idea of allowing foreign agencies to monitor and mediate in the proposed peace talks between the government and Maoist insurgents. Talking to a delegation of human rights activists at his office Thursday, the premier even offered to appoint a human rights activist as minister in his cabinet. "This will help follow-up the talks and facilitate things," he said. He, however, said that the government would seek assistance from human rights community within the country in the peace process. Kantipur Feb. 14.

Envoys Express Concerns

An eight-member diplomatic corps from Kathmandu visited a Bhutanese refugee camp in the eastern district of Morang Saturday to inspect if the relief materials were being distributed to the refugees properly and adequately. While visiting the Sanischare camp, the envoys expressed concerns over the delay in resolving the 12-year-old problem. The team included ambassadors from the US, UK, Norway, Finland, Germany, France, Australia and the European Commission. Addressing a function organized by the refugees, US envoy to Nepal, Michael E. Malinowsky, hoped that the problem would be resolved soon through the bilateral efforts of Nepal and Bhutan. The visit came four days ahead of the crucial meeting of donors' meet on Bhutan in Geneva. Thousands of refugees had brought out demonstrations calling for their early repatriation coinciding with the diplomat's visit. Space Time Feb. 16.

Cyber Cafe At The Base Camp

Tsering Gyalzen-- grand son of Gyalzen Sherpa, who accompanied Tenjing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary during their first-ever expedition to Mt. Everest in 1953-is all set to open the first cyber cafÈ at the Everest Base Camp, which would be the highest Internet cafÈ in the world. The cafe, which will operate during the spring and fall, will cater to thousands of climbers who visit the area in their bid to climb the highest peak on earth. Gyalzen is already building a hut in Kalapathar area, nearly two hours trek from the base camp, for the satellite equipment that will transmit signals through radio links to the Internet cafe. The proceeds from the cafe-equipped with eight laptop computers, powered by generators and solar-charged batteries-will go to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee that is working to keep the Everest region clean, AP news agency quoted Gyalzen as saying. Compiled from reports Feb. 14.

Nepal Misses Chinese Tourists

Millions of Chinese tourists traveled far and wide on the occasion of Chinese New Year (February 1) but those visiting their next door neighbor, Nepal, was less than 500. Reason-lack of air seats between the two countries. Ma Wei, a Chinese national, had to fly to Kathmandu via Hong Kong and Dhaka. She had to wait for three days in Dhaka to fly to the Nepali capital. China South West Airlines operates once a week between China and Nepal while Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) sets aside only 20 seats for Chinese nationals in its twice- a- week flight in the Kathmandu-Shanghai-Osaka sector. China had included Nepal as one of its outbound destination for its citizens some two years ago. But Nepal has failed to reap benefit due to lack of air seats. Kantipur Feb. 10.