At a meeting held between NC and the Maoists on Monday evening, the NC made it clear that the government would not bow to pressure from the streets.[break] The NC also asked the Maoists to immediately withdraw their general strike that began Sunday, to create a conducive environment for negotiations and resolve the ongoing political deadlock.
Leaders of NC and the Maoists had engaged in heated discussions during Monday´s meeting as the Maoists stuck to their demand for immediate resignation of the prime minister.
According to a NC leader present at the meeting, NC leaders told the Maoists that the government would not bow down even if they brought millions of people to Kathmandu´s streets. "If you still believe that street protests will make the government bow down you will have not victory at hand but only defeat," the NC leaders told the Maoists.
NC leaders reiterated that the formation of a national consensus government -- a key demand of the Maoists -- was not possible unless they reached a comprehensive agreement on all issues including management of Maoist combatants.
Leaders present at the meeting said Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, after hearing the NC´s stance, responded that the NC was talking about something that would make it difficult to arrive any consensus.
While Acting President Sushil Koirala, Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel, senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, Bimalendra Nidhi, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Krishna Sitaula attended the meeting on behalf of the NC, Chairman Dahal and Vice Chairs Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Mohan Baidya participated on behalf of the Maoists.
Talking to media persons after the meeting, Maoist Vice Chair Shrestha said Monday´s meeting mostly dwelt on the issue of cantoned Maoist combatants. "Though we held discussions on all six agenda items sorted out earlier, we failed to reach consensus on any," he said.
Sources said the NC asked the Maoists to determine the number of combatants to be integrated in various security agencies and express a commitment to take out of the cantonments by May 24 all other combatants choosing voluntary retirement with a government package and those opting for rehabilitation programs.
However, the Maoists expressed their inability to determine the number of combatants to be integrated in the army and other security agencies. They argued that this could be determined after unveiling the government´s package for combatants other than those willing to be part of the security agencies.
Though the three parties have already agreed in principle to categorize the combatants according to their interests - join security agencies, take voluntary retirement or opt for rehabilitation - differences exist on the number of Maoist combatants to be integrated in the security agencies.
NC Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel told media persons that the NC would sit for talks with the UML on Tuesday before sitting for three-party negotiations. He said that the NC has proposed to the Maoists to reach a package deal before announcing formation of a national consensus government.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Maoists leaders had held a separate meeting with top CPN-UML leaders at the residence of the party´s chairman, Jhala Nath Khanal, at Dallu.
At the meeting, both parties firmly reiterated their respective stances but failed to make any headway. "We reiterated our stance clearly that the government would not step down at any cost under pressure from the streets," said UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel.
The Maoists have been demanding immediate resignation of the prime minister to pave the way for resolving the current political deadlock.
The UML had said that the Maoists must call off their general strike aimed at forcing the government to resign. "There seems to be a realization among Maoist leaders now that they cannot force a government change without reaching agreement among the parties," said a UML leader.
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