Sunday, December 11, 2005

Seven-Party Dalliance


It seems all the constituents of the Seven-Party Alliance have overcome their differences over the 12-point understanding reached between the Maoists last month.
C.P. Mainali, the leader of United Left Front, said his concern was only over some "procedural matters." Satisfied, he has pledged full support to the accord.
Pari Thapa, vice-chairman of People's Front Nepal, said the alliance would make it clear that the issue of placing the Royal Nepalese Army and the Maoist army under United Nations supervision doesn't mean inviting any other force into the country.
Now Maila Baje is a little lost here. If the alliance as a whole is ruling out the arrival of any other force – logically including a U.N. or any other regional or multilateral force – then how is the supervision to be conducted?
Furthermore, Maila Baje isn't sure whether the Maoists understand the alliance's latest interpretation of the accord in the same way. The two sides did come out with their own versions of the agreement, didn't they?
Since Mainali and Co. managed to resolve their differences in time for Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran's arrival in Kathmandu, let's hope things become clearer by the time Saran ends his three-day visit.