The top leaders of the two main opposition parties met on Wednesday -- the first joint meeting of the two parties since the Maoist-led government came to power on August 28 -- in a bid to forge a common position on key issues of the peace process and constitution writing and to exert pressure on the new government and the Maoist party for forwarding the peace process. [break]
"We discussed how we can jointly move ahead on the peace process and constitution drafting," NC General Secretary Prakash Man Singh told Republica. "We are holding further meetings on Thursday to explore common ground."
According to General Secretary of the CPN-UML Ishwor Pokharel, top leaders of the two parties reached an understanding that they would play a constructive role in opposition on the basis of the merits and demerits of the present coalition.
Leaders from the NC and CPN-UML said that top leaders from both parties have realized a need for working together to pressure the Maoist party and the government to advance the peace process.
At the meeting, leaders of both parties expressed concern over what they said was the Maoists trying to give more urgency to constitution writing than to the peace process.
"Both CPN-UML and NC want to see the peace process preceding the constitution drafting," said CPN-UML General Secretary Pokharel. "It seems the Maoists are trying to expedite constitution drafting and slow the peace process."
Both parties are holding more discussions Thursday morning to identify areas where they can take a common stance and move ahead jointly.
"Our discussions will take shape of sorts on Wednesday," said NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel.
As the party was engaged in talks with the CPN-UML, the ongoing central committee meeting of the NC on Wednesday differed its likely decision on a proposal for forming an expert panel on state restructuring through amendment to Article 138 of the Interim Constitution.
"The decision will be taken after holding a meeting with the CPN-UML as there are procedural issues in forming the expert panel," Paudel told Republica.
The NC has taken the Maoist decision on handover of arms container keys as positive but has sought Maoist sincerity in implementing past agreements related to the peace process.
"We have felt that there is lack of a clear-cut and honest vision vis-a-vis the peace process in view of the dramatic controversy in the Maoist party in the aftermath of the keys handover, though the handover itself was a positive move," a statement from the party said on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the central committee of the party has concluded that the deal between the Maoist party and the Madhesi alliance has not addressed any basic issues of the peace process and constitution drafting. It has also expressed concern over the agreement on withdrawing cases concerning crimes committed during the Maoist conflict, the Madhes movement and other movements.
The central committee also endorsed the party´s stance on the peace process, reiterating its previous position that a maximum of 4,000 ex-Maoist combatants can be integrated in the security agencies on individual basis.
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