“The Maoists have shown willingness to join the mainstream.”
Girija Prasad Koirala , President of Nepali Congress and former prime minister, who said he had telephonic talks with Maoist leaders in New Delhi.
* * *
“T he seven party alliance is always aware of the national integrity and sovereignty. The mandales (extreme rightists) have no right to question the patriotism of the parties.”
Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli , Standing Committee member of the Unified Marxist-Leninist, speaking at an interaction program at the Reporters’ Club.
* * *
“T he King’s ‘roadmap’ is clear; to bypass all forces. To expect anything from him is like to expect oil from stone.”
Madhav Kumar Nepal , general secretary of the Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML), talking to reporters immediately after his return from New Delhi.
* * *
“T he meaning of dialogue with the Maoists is not collaboration. There can be collaboration in the future if arms are laid down and commitment towards democracy shown. As Maoists are also a political force at the present context, peace can not be restored without bringing them to the mainstream.”
Arjun Narsingh K. C ., leader of Nepali Congress, in Rajdhani
* * *
“T he stakes for India (in Nepal’s Crisis) are extremely high. So we are engaged with Nepal, we are engaged with all the actors in Nepal’s crisis – the monarchy and the political parties.”
Shyam Sharan , Indian Foreign Secretary and former Ambassador to Nepal, speaking at a program in New Delhi.
* * *
“W e have not constituted political parties for taking political revenge. We should challenge the Nepali political trend of sticking to power obsessively. Whoever the people elect will become the leader. Nobody can claim it.”
Keshar Bahadur Bista , President of the newly formed Democratic Nepal Party, in Rajdhani
* * *
“I t was not this government that termed the Maoists as ‘terrorists’, it was not this government that issued red corner notice, it was not this government that fixed price of the heads of the Maoist leaders. I do not know what changes they (the parties that were in power earlier and termed the Maoists as terrorists) have noticed in the Maoists now and are trying to hold talks with them.”
Dan Bahadur Shahi , Home Minister, in Bimarsha.
* * *
“W e are facing the most, overt and nude foreign intervention in the history (of Nepal).”
Govind Bhatta , a left intellectual, in Janabhawana
* * *
Transition
LEFT: Badri Prasad Mandal , Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives, for Rome, Italy, to participate in the 33 rd general convention of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to be held from November 19 to 26.
A delegation of FNCCI led by its president Chandi Raj Dhakal, for India, to participate in conference ‘Regional Collective Growth’
RETURNED: Girija Prasad Koirala , president of Nepali Congress and former Prime Minister, after his week-long visit to India.
APPOINTED: Ramesh Nath Joshi , as the General Manager of Janak Educational Materials Center, for a period of two years, by the government.
NOMINATED: Litterateur Nagendra Sharma , as the member of the Board of Directors, of the Gorkhapatra Corporation.
AWARDED : Youth Researcher Rishi Poudel, with the ‘Jhapat Award’ of this year, by Jhapat Award Committee.
HONORED: Dr. Ram Prasad Shrestha , with the ‘Leader Of World Health’ title, by the TIME magazine, for his contribution to the reduction in child mortality through National Vitamin A program.
