Nepal government accuses UN of meddling

As the former Maoist guerrillas kept up their siege on government offices, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal called an emergency meeting of the 22 ruling parties to decide the government's future strategy.

At the end of the meeting, the parties flayed UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who, in his report tabled before the UN Security Council in New York Oct 30, had urged the ruling parties and the Maoists to work on the basis of consensus and form a national government.

Ban's report came as a shot in the arm for the Maoists, who have begun fresh protests from Sunday, demanding the dissolution of the current government and the formation of a new one headed by them.

The UN Security Council will be deliberating on the report this week.

At the end of the 22-party meeting Thursday, Ram Chandra Poudel, former deputy prime minister and senior leader of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in the ruling alliance, said it was up to the people of Nepal to decide what kind of government they should have.

Poudel said the UN should not presume to advise Nepal on this issue.

The prime minister's office issued a statement, saying it was the "right of Nepal's people and political parties to decide what kind of government they should have, how it should be formed and under whose leadership".

The statement also said the parties were ready to include the Maoists in the government and asked the former rebels to come for dialogue.

It also urged the Maoists to lift their blockade of parliament, started since May, calling it undemocratic and unconstitutional.

The government is seeking the help of the Maoists to allow the budget to be passed by parliament. With the budget stuck in the house due to Maoist protests, the government has been plunged into a grave financial crisis.

sud/aj/dg

( 341 Words)

2009-11-05-20:53:48 (IANS)

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