The much-awaited summit talks between the ruling seven-party alliance (SPA) and the Maoist leadership started at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s residence in Baluwatar, Kathmandu, Sunday morning.
Key SPA leaders including PM Koirala, CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba and other leaders arrived at Baluwatar at around 8:00 a.m. while Maoist chairman Prachanda arrived with his team only at 9:00 a.m.
The Maoist team comprises three other senior leaders - Dr Baburam Bhattrai, Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ and Krishna Bahadur Mahara. Two members of the Maoist talks team, Dev Gurung and Dina Nath Sharma, are not participating in the meeting while government’s three-member team led by Home Minister KP Situala are joining it.
Nepali Congress leaders Mahesh Acharya and Amod Upadhyaya, Jhal Nath Khanal and Bharat Mohan Adhikari of the UML, Dr. Minendra Rijal of the NC-D, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP-Anandidevi) leaders Hridayesh Tripathy, Rajendra Mahato and Bharat Bimal Yadav; president of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) Narayan Man Bijukchhe as well as leaders of the United Left Front are also participating in the summit talks.
The Maoist leaders were escorted by unarmed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) members and party activists when they arrived at Baluwatar. The PLA men didn’t allow media persons to approach their leaders. Media persons were kept off the talks venue.
The summit meeting will discuss and reach consensus on all outstanding political issues including interim constitution, interim government, interim parliament, management of arms and the position of monarchy, according to leaders.
Civil society leaders Devendra Raj Pandey and Daman Nath Dhungana are also joining the summit meeting as observers.
Hundreds of civil society activists and political workers staged sit-in in front of the PM’s residence demanding concrete decisions out of the summit meeting.
Though it remains unknown how long the meeting will continue, SPA sources said preliminary understanding on major issues could be reached today itself while the final announcement might come tomorrow.
The Maoist team comprises three other senior leaders - Dr Baburam Bhattrai, Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ and Krishna Bahadur Mahara. Two members of the Maoist talks team, Dev Gurung and Dina Nath Sharma, are not participating in the meeting while government’s three-member team led by Home Minister KP Situala are joining it.
Nepali Congress leaders Mahesh Acharya and Amod Upadhyaya, Jhal Nath Khanal and Bharat Mohan Adhikari of the UML, Dr. Minendra Rijal of the NC-D, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP-Anandidevi) leaders Hridayesh Tripathy, Rajendra Mahato and Bharat Bimal Yadav; president of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) Narayan Man Bijukchhe as well as leaders of the United Left Front are also participating in the summit talks.
The Maoist leaders were escorted by unarmed the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) members and party activists when they arrived at Baluwatar. The PLA men didn’t allow media persons to approach their leaders. Media persons were kept off the talks venue.
The summit meeting will discuss and reach consensus on all outstanding political issues including interim constitution, interim government, interim parliament, management of arms and the position of monarchy, according to leaders.
Civil society leaders Devendra Raj Pandey and Daman Nath Dhungana are also joining the summit meeting as observers.
Hundreds of civil society activists and political workers staged sit-in in front of the PM’s residence demanding concrete decisions out of the summit meeting.
Though it remains unknown how long the meeting will continue, SPA sources said preliminary understanding on major issues could be reached today itself while the final announcement might come tomorrow.
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