Tuesday, June 17, 2008

No breakthrough in three-party talks

The meeting of the three major parties - CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (UML) - held in Baluwatar Tuesday evening has ended inconclusively.

According to Maoist leader Mohan Baidya 'Kiran', power sharing, selection of the president and army integration were the main sticking points in today's discussion, which the leaders had earlier claimed would be decisive. He said the CPN (M) reiterated its stance on those issues while NC leaders refused to soften their position vis-à-vis their seven
'preconditions' [for alliance with the Maoists].

The three parties have agreed to again meet in Baluwatar at 8:00 am tomorrow, ahead of the meeting of the Constituent Assembly (CA).

Baidya said his party would wait until tomorrow's meeting before deciding whether to quit the government.

Prime Minister and NC president Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' and UML general secretary Jhal Nath Khanal participated in the meeting. Other participants included senior Maoist leaders Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Mohan Baidya and Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal', UML's Amrit Kumar Bohara and NC leaders Ram Chandra Poudel and Krishna Situala.

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