With NC and UML strongly objecting to the Maoist proposal on peace process including the management of cantoned combatants, agreement among the three parties appears less likely though they have agreed to make last-ditch efforts for consensus even on Monday. [break]
The failure of the parties to arrive at consensus will necessitate President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to ask the parties to form majority government as per Article 38 (2) of the Interim Constitution on Tuesday. "This is the normal course should the parties failed to forge consensus even after the expiry of the deadline," said Rajendra Dahal, press advisor to President Dr Yadav.
Party sources said Speaker Subas Nembang is set to call a meeting of Business Advisory Committee (BAC) to fix the date for an election for picking the prime minister once the president makes the call. The BAC is likely to set July 16 as date for picking a prime ministerial candidate.
Responding to myrepublica.com, UCPN (Maoist) Vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha said given the ongoing political development, he is not very hopeful about the formation of a consensus government by Monday. "Though the date for a consensus government expires Monday, we still can seek ways to form a consensus government," he said.
A UML leader engaged in three-party talks however said he sees no possibility of the parties arriving at consensus given the rigid stance of the Maoists on issues related to peace process, mainly the management of the Maoist combatants.
"Though we have agreed to hold another round of talks on Monday there is no indication of arriving at any consensus," said the leader, asking to be unnamed.
Following Prime Minister Madhav Nepal´s resignation on July 1, the president had given seven days to the parties to form a consensus government. The deadline was extended for five days at the request of all 25 political parties in the parliament.
During a three-party meeting held at Singha Durbar Sunday morning, the Maoists had formally presented their proposal on peace process including the management of combatants. A consensus appeared elusive as the Maoist proposal failed to impress the NC and the UML.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, NC leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said NC and UML were not convinced by the Maoist proposal. "The proposal goes a step backwards as compared to the agreements the Maoists have reached with other parties in the past," he said.
Among other things, NC and UML are also against the idea of forming separate security agency for the integration of the Maoist combatants. "The Maoist proposal also fails to fix the number of combatants to be integrated in the army," Dr Mahat said. "This is not acceptable."
A meeting of the NC Central Working Committee (CWC) held at the party´s headquarters in Sanepa concluded that the Maoist proposal on integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants goes against the spirit of Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). The NC is scheduled to make public its official position about the Maoist plan on Tuesday.
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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