The meeting of the top leaders of the seven-party alliance (SPA) and the Maoists has been postponed for Thursday afternoon as the leaders failed to reach consensus on the draft of the interim constitution.
The meeting that started at 4:00 pm at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar ended within two hours. The meeting will resume at 13:00 pm Thursday.
According to Nepali Congress (NC) general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel, some leaders demanded that they should be given a chance to go over the interim constitution draft submitted by the talks teams of the government and the Maoists.
“The leaders would go over the draft before 11:00 am and then sit for discussion at 13:00 pm tomorrow,” he informed.
“The concern that arms management and announcement of interim constitution should go side by side was also discussed at the meeting. The Maoist side argued that the delay in announcing the interim constitution was not because of them,” he said, adding “I’m not sure tomorrow’s meeting takes a concrete decision.”
Another NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC said there were a few theoretical and technical matters, which needed further discussion before the draft of the interim constitution could be finalised.
“There is no serious disagreement. Only a few theoretical and technical matters, and the phrasing of the interim constitution, remain to be decided,” he said informing that tomorrow’s meeting would dwell on these matters.
No top leaders preferred to speak to the media regarding the progress in the talks, or their differences.
Reports meanwhile said the issue of the head of the state and electoral system are some the key areas of dispute between the SPA and the Maoists.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, Maoist chairman Prachanda, CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba, Janamorcha Nepal chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party chairman Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Prabhu Narayan Choudhary who chairs the United Left Front chairman participated in the meeting.
Government and Maoist talks teams and central leaders of the eight parties including senior Maoist leaders Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ were also present at the meeting.
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