SATURDAY, JULY 3, 2004
Communists formally join Nepal govt
AFP
KATHMANDU: Nepal's communists on Sunday formally joined the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba after last week agreeing to a common agenda to seek peace with Maoist rebels and fully restore democracy.
The Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist (NCP-UML) said in a statement it had submitted a list to Deuba of 10 members, headed by politburo member Bharat Mohan Adhikari, for nomination to his government.
Deuba, who was reappointed on June 2 by King Gyanendra, is to announce his expanded cabinet on Monday, which will also comprise members from two smaller parties, the rightist National Democratic Party and the pro-India Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP).
"I confirm the nomination of 10 members of our party for the ministerial assignment under my leadership," Adhikari said.
Deuba had been unable to bring parties into his new cabinet until he was invested with full powers which were taken away after the elected leadership in 2002 was sacked.
The three parties agreed to join after reaching agreement with Deuba on a common program which calls for new talks with Maoist rebels to end the eight-year civil war, which has claimed more than 9,500 lives.
"The parties agreed to work jointly to restore the full sovereign and democratic rights enshrined by the 1990 movement," the common platform said.
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