2. Dhaka, Kathmandu talk connectivity
Dhaka: Commerce secretaries of Bangladesh and Nepal began a fresh round of talks here yesterday after about three years to finalise the much-anticipated transport connectivity between the two countries for expediting trade.
During the two-day talks taking place at the commerce ministry, both the sides will focus on elimination of tariff barriers on commodities of mutual export interests, and duty-free access to market.
“Although not on the agenda, Dhaka will try to persuade Kathmandu to export their additional power to Bangladesh,” Commerce Secretary Md Ghulam Hussain told journalists during tea break.
The last commerce secretary-level meeting between the two countries was held on October 6-8 in 2007 in Kathmandu.
Hussain is leading a 15-member team while his Nepali counterpart Purushottam Ojha is heading a six-member delegation at the talks.
The Bangladesh team includes representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, industries, shipping, communication and power, Board of Investment, National Board of Revenue, Export Promotion Bureau, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority and the Tariff Commission.
Besides transit and transport issues, the other key points in the discussion are full-fledged operation of Kakarbhitta-Panitanki-Phulbari-Banglabandh corridor and allowing Nepalese trucks up to Banglabandh land port.
Railway connectivity, Dhaka-Kathmandu bus service, on arrival visa for Nepalese, harmonisation of SPS and TBT mirage and transport of perishable goods through air cargo service were also discussed at the meeting.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan is very hopeful of a successful negotiation this time since India, during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in January, agreed to allow transit between Nepal and Bangladesh.
“The ultimate goal of the talks is to reduce the remaining gap and finalise modalities of the agreement on transport of trade cargos and operation of passengers vehicles,” he told The Daily Star.
Sources in the commerce ministry said yesterday’s talks were very positive and the two sides might come up with striking decisions on the concluding day today. www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=146786

Clause 138 (2) of the Interim Constitution has envisaged a high-level commission to make recommendations for restructuring of the state. The final decision relating to the structure of the state and federal system shall, however, be made by the CA, stipulates the constitution.
The three parties have also agreed that the commission would submit its report to the government, which would subsequently hand it over to the CA chair. The chairman will forward the report through CA’s full House to the Committee on State Restructuring and Devolution of State Power. The panel will prepare the blueprint of the state restructuring based on the report of the commission and the concept paper it has already submitted to the CA. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/07/15/top-story/work-on-src-formation-from-july-31-new-govt-to-declare-src/318496/

4. Dahal bounty under mutiny
Kathmandu, July 15: The faction led by UCPN (Maoist) Vice-Chairman Babu Ram Bhattarai (BRB) is demanding the party’s Standing Committee or Politburo meeting immediately take a fresh decision on the formation of a national consensus government, especially about the prime ministerial berth.
According to party sources, some leaders are pressing Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to chalk out alternatives to form a majority government led by the Maoists.
 In the Standing Committee, Chairman Dahal holds the majority and the leaders have sought a Politburo meeting where Bhattarai commands. Earlier, a politburo meeting on June 15 declared that Chairman and Parliamentary Party leader Dahal would lead the government.
“NC and UML snubbed that proposal, so we should make another effort keeping alternatives to Dahal for forming a majority government,” said a Maoist leader. The Bhattarai faction is also insisting that the party must be ready to show flexibility on the integration and rehabilitation action plan of Maoist combatants so as to form the government. “The party failed to form a consensus government led by Chairman Dahal, so he should be ready for alternatives,” said the Maoist leader.   
“We have piled pressure upon Chairman Dahal to negotiate with NC and UML about the formation of a national consensus or a majority government led by our party, keeping both alternatives open,” said a Maoist Politburo member seeking anonymity.
According to him, alternatives to Dahal would be Bhattarai or General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa.  Standing Committee member Netra Bikram Chand said that intra-party discussion is on about forming the majority government and picking alternatives to Dahal.  
NC and UML say consensus cannot be forged in the name of Dahal. Speaking at a programme in the Capital, Maoist politburo member Ram Karki said that the party should take new decisions for the leadership of the government.
He said that as consensus could not be arrived at for a Dahal-led government, the party should opt to forward other leaders and talk to the other parties. Meanwhile, Dahal is expressing his unwillingness to call the meeting.
  “As NC and UML are saying that consensus can be forged if Bhattarai is the prime ministerial candidate, we should be ready for that. If  NC and UML reject that also, they will be exposed before the people,” said Karki.
Other parties have called their respective meetings to prepare their strategy but the Maoist party is sitting silent. Karki openly said that Bhattarai was the best candidate after Dahal. “Babu Ram Ji has the experience of running a parallel government during the Maoist movement and he displayed his acumen as Finance Minister,” said Karki.
http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/07/15/top-story/dahal-bounty-under-mutiny/318483/

5. Bypassing Maoists not the way out, says Sujata
KANTIPUR REPORT
Kathmandu, July 14 – Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala said on Wednesday that the peace process and constitution drafting cannot be concluded by sidelining the Maoists.
Koirala, who is also the Nepali Congress (NC) central member, said that the problems would not be resolved by creating distance with the Maoists.
The NC should weigh in the prospects of the twin process of peace and statue moving ahead while making preparation for the majority government leadership, Koirala said.
The NC, however, has been staking claim for the leadership in the to-be-formed majority government saying that the Maoist-leadership could not be accepted before the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/07/14/capital/bypassing-maoists-not-the-way-out-says-sujata/318468/

6. UNMIN digs in heels over non-paper row
Kathmandu, July 15 :- Chief of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) Karin Landgren on Wednesday sent a reply to the government saying the UN political mission had presented the non-paper on timeline for integration and rehabilitation as per its mandate.
In a letter to the Peace and Reconstruction Ministry, Landgren said the non-paper was intended to facilitate the parties to decide on a action plan for the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.
“The non-paper is not UNMIN’s action plan or roadmap on integration and rehabilitation. It is a reference material aimed at facilitating the political parties to make a decision,” said an official at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, quoting the letter.
UNMIN had presented a “Hypothetical Timeline on Integration and Rehabilitation” to the leaders of the three major parties last month with a 60-week time plan for the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.
Following the publication of non-paper in The Kathmandu Post and Kantipur dailies, the government had voiced “serious objection” to the timeline proposed by UNMIN.
On Monday, the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction had sent a letter to Landgren stating that UNMIN’s proposal was objectionable and that the preparation of a work plan on integration and rehabilitation of combatants fell solely to the Special Committee. The move came after instructions from caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
In her reply, Landgren has also stated that the non-paper was offered to political parties based on the mandate of the Security Council for making necessary arrangements for UNMIN’s early exit.
UNMIN has also maintained that the non-paper was distributed as a confidential document to the leaders of the major parties and that it was not leaked as claimed by the government.
UNMIN Spokesman Kosmos Biswokarma confirmed the dispatch of the letter to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction but declined to divulge details. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/07/15/top-story/unmin-digs-in-heels-over-non-paper-row/318482/