US, India stress democratic consensus in Nepal
Surya B. Prasai
May 26, 2008
Within hours of landing at Kathmandu airport, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Dr. Evan A. Feigenbaum called on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the latter's residence in Baluwatar Sunday where the dominating discussions were on the formation of the new Nepal Government following the recent Constituent Assembly Polls on April 10.
Feigenbaum arrived on a three day visit to Kathmandu amidst heightened political parley among Nepali parties in forming a government based on national consensus. The US State Department official is meeting various Nepali political leaders from the four major parties, whose support and mutual understanding is considered essential in the coming days to forge an all participatory Nepal Government. According to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Feigenbaum has stressed the need to end the recent spate of political violence and work towards formulation of a new democratic constitution that represents the true aspirations for peace, prosperity, and happiness of the Nepali people. In the course of his discussions, Feigenbaum has met CPN-UML general secretary Jhal Nath Khanal, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum chairman Upendra Yadav and the Maoist leadership. Feigenbaum will also visit various American projects being run in Nepal, including a new community radio station that has started in Humla. The US State Department official will carry out some on-the-spot inspections and assessment of various US assistance based projects in Nepal.
The visit comes amidst stepped up diplomatic effort from the US and India which are closely watching events unfold in Nepal as everyone braces for the historic first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on May 28. Last week U.S envoy to Nepal, Nancy Powell, had called on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at Baluwatar and discussed the political scenario explaining how the Americans were looking at it. In the meeting Powell is learnt to have explained to Koirala the American viewpoint towards the Maoists and the expected political changes in Nepal. A Baluwatar source disclosed, Powell expressed full commitment in supporting the new government, which is likely to be formed by the Maoists.
Indiaīs envoy to Nepal, Rakesh Sood, has also stressed South Blockīs position that the winners of the CA Poll, the CPN-Maoists, have the right to form the next government. Last week, Sood intensified political parleys and met the four party leaders inquiring on the likelihood of government formation and Indiaīs continued and unflinching assistance to the Nepali people. Stating that the Nepali people had given a clear mandate to the CPN-Maoists to form a government through the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls, he urged other political parties to be involved in it as well. Sood also stated, India had given its full assistance in holding an impartial CA Poll in Nepal to uphold the peaceful and democratic aspirations of the Nepali people. He felt Nepalīs democratic stability and development were always taken as a major concern by India and wanted to see the political transition take place smoothly. India would always respect the democratic will of the Nepali people, Sood added.
Nepali Congress Balkhu sources disclose it is planning to celebrate May 28 as Republic Day in Nepal, although a republican constitution is yet to be borne, and the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly has not taken place. Also, the Maoists partyīs top leaders including Kiran, CP Gajurel, Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai, Badal, have gone active in the Kathmandu speakers circuit recently clarifying that for the moment, they will only occupy the PMīs chair, while the President of the country will be decided after the new constitution is formed. They have left it ambiguous on who will occupy the position of Head of State for the moment. The Maoists have so far denied Koirala will be the next President of Nepal as claimed by some of the pro-NC media sources. In fact, the Maoists are not in a position to bring amendments to the current interim constitution to allow any other party to form a simple majority government or allow it to place an active President. Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai stated in Kathmandu on Monday that Maoists would not share the top three positions with any other party. However, some CPN-M Buddhanagar party wallas appear positive to amend only those clauses that do not fit the changed political context. The Maoists have stated the next step is to remove names of constituents of the Seven-Party Alliance that lost the election and also of those defeated lawmakers belonging to the former interim parliament.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) Upendra Yadav on Saturday stated, the Terai parties will only decide on participation in the next government if their previous demands are met in the new CA. Yadav also hinted to the Maoist leadership that if they are not interested in forming a new government, than definite initiatives will be made to abrogate the current statute in the interim constitution to bring in a simple majority government. UML has also started performing a tightrope walk, bargaining at least for some influential ministries in its likely participation in the next government. UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari has said that his party has discussed necessary amendments to the interim constitution to implement a republican agenda. But, despite repeated meetings between the leaders of the three top parties in the past week, the Maoists, Nepali Congress, and Unified Marxist Leninist, there is still little consensus on supporting the Maoists to lead the next government, despite CPN-Mīs expressed readiness to head one.
Feigenbaum arrived on a three day visit to Kathmandu amidst heightened political parley among Nepali parties in forming a government based on national consensus. The US State Department official is meeting various Nepali political leaders from the four major parties, whose support and mutual understanding is considered essential in the coming days to forge an all participatory Nepal Government. According to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Feigenbaum has stressed the need to end the recent spate of political violence and work towards formulation of a new democratic constitution that represents the true aspirations for peace, prosperity, and happiness of the Nepali people. In the course of his discussions, Feigenbaum has met CPN-UML general secretary Jhal Nath Khanal, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum chairman Upendra Yadav and the Maoist leadership. Feigenbaum will also visit various American projects being run in Nepal, including a new community radio station that has started in Humla. The US State Department official will carry out some on-the-spot inspections and assessment of various US assistance based projects in Nepal.
The visit comes amidst stepped up diplomatic effort from the US and India which are closely watching events unfold in Nepal as everyone braces for the historic first sitting of the Constituent Assembly on May 28. Last week U.S envoy to Nepal, Nancy Powell, had called on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at Baluwatar and discussed the political scenario explaining how the Americans were looking at it. In the meeting Powell is learnt to have explained to Koirala the American viewpoint towards the Maoists and the expected political changes in Nepal. A Baluwatar source disclosed, Powell expressed full commitment in supporting the new government, which is likely to be formed by the Maoists.
Indiaīs envoy to Nepal, Rakesh Sood, has also stressed South Blockīs position that the winners of the CA Poll, the CPN-Maoists, have the right to form the next government. Last week, Sood intensified political parleys and met the four party leaders inquiring on the likelihood of government formation and Indiaīs continued and unflinching assistance to the Nepali people. Stating that the Nepali people had given a clear mandate to the CPN-Maoists to form a government through the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls, he urged other political parties to be involved in it as well. Sood also stated, India had given its full assistance in holding an impartial CA Poll in Nepal to uphold the peaceful and democratic aspirations of the Nepali people. He felt Nepalīs democratic stability and development were always taken as a major concern by India and wanted to see the political transition take place smoothly. India would always respect the democratic will of the Nepali people, Sood added.
Nepali Congress Balkhu sources disclose it is planning to celebrate May 28 as Republic Day in Nepal, although a republican constitution is yet to be borne, and the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly has not taken place. Also, the Maoists partyīs top leaders including Kiran, CP Gajurel, Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai, Badal, have gone active in the Kathmandu speakers circuit recently clarifying that for the moment, they will only occupy the PMīs chair, while the President of the country will be decided after the new constitution is formed. They have left it ambiguous on who will occupy the position of Head of State for the moment. The Maoists have so far denied Koirala will be the next President of Nepal as claimed by some of the pro-NC media sources. In fact, the Maoists are not in a position to bring amendments to the current interim constitution to allow any other party to form a simple majority government or allow it to place an active President. Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai stated in Kathmandu on Monday that Maoists would not share the top three positions with any other party. However, some CPN-M Buddhanagar party wallas appear positive to amend only those clauses that do not fit the changed political context. The Maoists have stated the next step is to remove names of constituents of the Seven-Party Alliance that lost the election and also of those defeated lawmakers belonging to the former interim parliament.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) Upendra Yadav on Saturday stated, the Terai parties will only decide on participation in the next government if their previous demands are met in the new CA. Yadav also hinted to the Maoist leadership that if they are not interested in forming a new government, than definite initiatives will be made to abrogate the current statute in the interim constitution to bring in a simple majority government. UML has also started performing a tightrope walk, bargaining at least for some influential ministries in its likely participation in the next government. UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari has said that his party has discussed necessary amendments to the interim constitution to implement a republican agenda. But, despite repeated meetings between the leaders of the three top parties in the past week, the Maoists, Nepali Congress, and Unified Marxist Leninist, there is still little consensus on supporting the Maoists to lead the next government, despite CPN-Mīs expressed readiness to head one.
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