Kathmandu: Amid a political crisis in Nepal,
envoys of the US, Britain and France, the key donor nations,
on Thursday met Maoist supremo Prachanda and discussed the current
stalemate in Parliament and issues like the extension of the
tenure of the UN mission in the country.
During the meeting, Prachanda and the foreign envoys
discussed the political deadlock in Nepal and matters relating
to the ongoing peace process and extension of the term of the
United Nations' Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), Maoist sources said.
Prachanda, also the Prime Ministerial candidate of the
Maoists, has failed to secure simple majority in the
601-member Constituent Assembly in the seven rounds of polls
held for the coveted post so far.
Prachanda's meeting with US Ambassador Scott H DeLisi,
Britain's John Anthony Tucknott and French envoy Jean-Charles
Demarquis took place at the Maoist leader's residence in Naya
Bazaar on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
It came in the wake of differences between UN officials
and Nepal government over the mandate of the UNMIN after the
possible extension of its term.
The Maoists want extension of the term of the UNMIN with
the present mandate, while the government wants a limited
mandate for it.
"We told that our party wants UNMIN's term extended by
maximum six months to take the peace process to its logical
end and the UNMIN shouldn't be given farewell in the present
circumstances," Maoist Vice Chairman Narayankaji Shrestha
said.
He also said his party has sent a separate report about
Nepal's peace process to the UN disagreeing with the
government's report.
After the meeting, DeLisi said Nepal's parties should
forge consensus for the completion of the peace process,
according to the National News Agency (RSS).
PTI
First Published: Thursday, September 09, 2010, 23:41