Efter donorernes kritik på det netop afviklede Nepal Development Forum gik premierminister Thapa af. Derefter indkaldte Kongen uden held de forskellige partiledere til individuelle samtaler. Nu har han endelig indkaldt dem samlet, så de kan forhandle sammen om genindsættelse af det opløste parlament.
Her mere på engelsk:
King grants collective audience to five-party leaders
King Gyanendra gave the much awaited collective audience to the leaders of five agitating political parties Wednesday evening.
The leaders said that the overall political situation of the country was discussed at the meeting but what dominated the discussion was the demand for restoration of the House of Representatives.
– We have clearly put our views that reinstatement of the parliament is the best solution available at the moment. We have told the King that such a step would be politically as well as constitutionally correct, Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala told reporters.
Asked whether there was any discussion about the next prime minister, the NC president said: – What we want first is the solution to the key political issues and the question of who becomes the prime minister comes only after that. We did not talk on that.
Koirala also revealed that there was no discussion on the 18-point agenda of the five-party alliance.
Similarly, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said: – We have made clear our position on the current political situation and stated our views on how a forward-looking solution can be given to the country.
On whether the ongoing agitations would stop, Nepal said: – This depends on whether the demands are met or not.
The audience that began at around 630 pm lasted over an hour. Along with Koirala and Nepal, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Peoples Front Nepal chairman Amik Sherchan and Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi) leader Bharat Bimal Yadav were also present at the royal audience.
Kilde: nepalnews.com mbk May 19 04
NYT telegram:
Strike continues to cripple Nepal
A general strike called by opposition parties kept Nepal at a virtual standstill for the second successive day on Wednesday.
Schools, factories and businesses remained closed and most vehicles stayed off the road.
The opposition called the 48-hour strike to step up pressure on the king to restore democratic rule. King Gyanendra sacked the elected government and assumed executive powers in October 2002.
