Army Chief Chhatraman Singh Gurung on Sunday floated the offer to the top leaders of the ruling parties at a meeting convened by Prime Minister Madhav Nepal on the eve of a crucial meeting of the top leaders of the three major parties. [break]
UCPN (Maoist), NC and CPN-UML are meeting on Monday to discuss modalities of integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants. The prime minister had called the meeting to brief the army leadership on developments at the ongoing discussions on modality of integration of Maoist combatants.
“The army chief was of the view that the combatants should be integrated in the army, instead of being accommodated in other security agencies,” said a political leader who preferred anonymity. “He also suggested that there should be no separate force of only Maoist army combatants.”
The army chief, who was briefed on the ongoing discussions on integration modalities by political leaders during the meeting, reiterated the army´s stance that the national army would accept any decision that the government takes on the issue, the source said.
The leader, who declined to give details of the meeting, saying there was an understanding among the participants not to make them public, further added that the army chief floated different models of integration to the political leaders.
“The army was found very cooperative and positive. It held the view that the management of the Maoist combatants should be completed as early as possible,” said Bishnu Rijal, the prime minister´s press advisor.
According to the leader, the army chief told the leaders that army would not accept any relaxation on its recruitment-related standard norms. There was a broad understanding in the meeting of a taskforce comprising representatives from three major political parties on Friday that the standard norms could be relaxed for the purpose of integration.
“The army has also suggested different strategies for integration,” said the source.
Besides the prime minister, Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel, leaders Bam Dev Gautam, Bishnu Paudel and Home Minister Bhim Rawal represented CPN-UML in the meeting.
Similarly, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala, leaders Ram Chandra Paudel, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Krishna Sitaula were present in the meeting.
Lieutenant General Toran Jung Bahadur Singh had accompanied the army chief to the meeting.
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