KATHMANDU, Dec 14 - The much anticipated high-level talks between the major political parties failed to forge an agreement Friday.
After the top leaders could not find a consensus on the current political issues during the high-level informal meeting, the formal seven-party meeting to end the current political deadlock--that was supposed to take place this afternoon—did not take place.
Top leaders of the major four parties, Nepali Congress (NC), UML, Maoists and People’s Front-Nepal, took part in the informal meeting held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official Baluwatar residence.
According to sources, although the political parties have reached an agreement on major issues including the proclamation of a republic through the interim parliament and approving the decision by the first meeting of the elected Constituent Assembly (CA), they are still divided on the technicalities of the mixed and multi proportional electoral proportional system.
The major parties have not arrived at a conclusion on whether to adopt a sixty percent proportional representation (PR) system for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections and a forty percent mixed-system and to mention the term ‘republic’ in the constitution, the sources added.
Meanwhile, CPN-Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara claimed that the PM was not serious on resolving the current political deadlock.
He said that the meeting could not forge an agreement as the NC had reiterated its old stance on the PR electoral system.
The differences between the Maoists and the NC surfaced once again as PM and Nepali Congress President Koirala rejected Maoist Chairman Prachanda’s proposals during the informal talks.
Prachanda had proposed a roundtable conference to take a decision on a new election system if the NC could not go for a fully proportional electoral system for the CA elections, sources said.
However, the NC sources claimed that the UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist Chairman Prachanda left the PM’s residence one after another saying “call us when we are needed”.
They further claimed that when the parties had already reached an agreement on the declaration of a republic and the adoption of the PR system, the high-level talks couldn’t find a consensus after the Maoists and the UML put forth “new and additional demands”.
Although the top leaders have reached an agreement on major issues, they are still divided on the reshuffling of the government.
The top leaders of the major parties are likely to hold another round of talks tomorrow morning, sources added.
Maoist second-in-command, Dr Baburam Bhattarai said that the irresponsibility shown by the NC was the main reason why today’s talks failed.
He also dismissed NC’s claim that it had reached an agreement on the republic and the PR system saying it was just NC propaganda.
“This is not a fact,” he said, “They (Nepali Congress) have not cleared their stance yet.”
He further accused the NC of neither announcing its stance nor accepting their [Maoist] proposals.
“Nepali Congress is neither serious about creating an outlet to the current political crisis nor to holding the Constituent Assembly elections,” he said. “The NC has not cleared its stance nor put forth their views even till the last moment at a time when we should have already found a consensus.”
“If a consensus is not found by tomorrow, the country is likely to face a moral and constitutional crisis,” he warned adding that the Nepali Congress should take the responsibility if such a situation occurs.
The seven-parties have only a day left to avoid a constitutional crisis by forging an agreement, as amendments to the constitution must be made by the government by mid-December as per the interim constitution.
He further said that if the parties failed to forge an agreement by Saturday, the NC would be solely responsible as it is leading the seven-party coalition government.
After the top leaders could not find a consensus on the current political issues during the high-level informal meeting, the formal seven-party meeting to end the current political deadlock--that was supposed to take place this afternoon—did not take place.
Top leaders of the major four parties, Nepali Congress (NC), UML, Maoists and People’s Front-Nepal, took part in the informal meeting held at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s official Baluwatar residence.
According to sources, although the political parties have reached an agreement on major issues including the proclamation of a republic through the interim parliament and approving the decision by the first meeting of the elected Constituent Assembly (CA), they are still divided on the technicalities of the mixed and multi proportional electoral proportional system.
The major parties have not arrived at a conclusion on whether to adopt a sixty percent proportional representation (PR) system for the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections and a forty percent mixed-system and to mention the term ‘republic’ in the constitution, the sources added.
Meanwhile, CPN-Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara claimed that the PM was not serious on resolving the current political deadlock.
He said that the meeting could not forge an agreement as the NC had reiterated its old stance on the PR electoral system.
The differences between the Maoists and the NC surfaced once again as PM and Nepali Congress President Koirala rejected Maoist Chairman Prachanda’s proposals during the informal talks.
Prachanda had proposed a roundtable conference to take a decision on a new election system if the NC could not go for a fully proportional electoral system for the CA elections, sources said.
However, the NC sources claimed that the UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and Maoist Chairman Prachanda left the PM’s residence one after another saying “call us when we are needed”.
They further claimed that when the parties had already reached an agreement on the declaration of a republic and the adoption of the PR system, the high-level talks couldn’t find a consensus after the Maoists and the UML put forth “new and additional demands”.
Although the top leaders have reached an agreement on major issues, they are still divided on the reshuffling of the government.
The top leaders of the major parties are likely to hold another round of talks tomorrow morning, sources added.
Maoist second-in-command, Dr Baburam Bhattarai said that the irresponsibility shown by the NC was the main reason why today’s talks failed.
He also dismissed NC’s claim that it had reached an agreement on the republic and the PR system saying it was just NC propaganda.
“This is not a fact,” he said, “They (Nepali Congress) have not cleared their stance yet.”
He further accused the NC of neither announcing its stance nor accepting their [Maoist] proposals.
“Nepali Congress is neither serious about creating an outlet to the current political crisis nor to holding the Constituent Assembly elections,” he said. “The NC has not cleared its stance nor put forth their views even till the last moment at a time when we should have already found a consensus.”
“If a consensus is not found by tomorrow, the country is likely to face a moral and constitutional crisis,” he warned adding that the Nepali Congress should take the responsibility if such a situation occurs.
The seven-parties have only a day left to avoid a constitutional crisis by forging an agreement, as amendments to the constitution must be made by the government by mid-December as per the interim constitution.
He further said that if the parties failed to forge an agreement by Saturday, the NC would be solely responsible as it is leading the seven-party coalition government.
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