Nepal rebels reject talk offer from King
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi March 19, IRNA
Nepal-Talk Rejection
Rejecting the royal government's offer of a dialogue, major political parties in Nepal have said there was no question of holding talks until democratic rights were restored and emergency lifted in the Kingdom.
"Until and unless the King withdraws the February 1 Proclamation by lifting emergency and restoring fundamental democratic rights, there is no question of holding dialogue with the Royal government," said Keshav Baral, Standing Committee Member of the Nepal Communist Party (UML), the largest Communist party which has launched an anti-King agitation.
"There is no point in talking with the King's deputies at a time when the political parties are virtually banned and all the top leaders are put in jail," he told the Press Trust of India, adding the King should first return to the status quo before the start of any dialogue.
His remarks came in response to King Gyanendra's deputy and Vice Chairman of the Council of Ministers Tulsi Giri's offer of a dialogue on Thursday with political parties if they were ready to cooperate with the government in tackling insurgency, controlling corruption, economic reforms and strengthening bureaucracy.
Baral also rejected the Maoists' offer of launching a joint movement against the royal takeover, "We can't join hands with the Maoists until and unless they lay down arms and agree to hold peaceful movement."
The CPN-ML is working together with other political parties to launch another massive protest show against the royal takeover on March 21, he said.
In the meanwhile, the Nepal government has allowed the United Telecom Limited (UTL), an Indo-Nepal joint venture, to resume its wireless telephone services from today, ending the one-and-a-half month of uncertainty, reports the Press Trust of India.
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::IRNA No.033 20/03/2005 17:18 --End
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