Nepal parliament seeks ceasefire
New Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the legislators urged negotiations with the Maoist rebels who played a key role in protests that forced the king to give up power last week.
Mr Koirala’s new government was sworn in earlier in the day and now must spell out the dates and other details of the talks and the constitutional assembly.
Normally, King Gyanendra would also have to approve the motion. But with the new constitution expected to severely limit royal authority to prevent the king from taking absolute power again, his signature would not be required.
The ailing 84-year-old Koirala briefly addressed Parliament — which opened its first session in four years Friday. He called on the communist insurgents to come in from the political cold, as he began the challenge of keeping his alliance together and steering the troubled Himalayan country toward peace and democracy.
“I urge the Maoists today to give up violence and come forward for peace talks,” said Mr Koirala, who was greeted by legislators with a standing ovation. He spoke for only a few minutes and remained seated during his speech, a break from tradition as he began his fifth stint as prime minister.
A lung ailment had repeatedly delayed the swearing-in of Koirala, who was accompanied to the palace by his doctor.
A one-time labour organiser who is among the country’s most senior politicians, Mr Koirala was chosen prime minister because he was the most acceptable candidate among the leading seven-party alliance, political leaders have said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.
Mr Koirala faces the enormous challenge of keeping the disparate alliance together and bringing their rebel allies into talks before announcing elections to the special assembly.
Mr Koirala’s “biggest task is to bring the Maoists on the right track,” said Pradeep Gyawali of the Communist Party of Nepal.
The new constitution was a key demand of the protesters who forced the king to give up power.
Lawmakers also are demanding all the orders and laws of the previous government be invalidated and that the king be stripped of control over the 90,000-strong army, fearing he could use its loyalty to grab power again.
