Turkey to push relations with Nepal

Kathmandu, 26 March: Turkey is expanding relations with Nepal by opening a branch of Turkese International Cooperation Agency in the Nepalese capital.
The idea was pushed Tuesday at a meeting outgoing Ambassador Halil Akansi had with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
Turkey also offered a $100,000 assistance to construct a girls’ hostel of Kathmandu University in the outskirts of the Nepalese capital.
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Violence continues unabated; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 26 March: Violence continues unabated with the 10 April constituent assembly only 15 days away.
In the first ambush a militant terai groups calling for independence and rejecting elections, six policemen were injured overnight when a van was ambushed along the Mahendra Highway in Siraha, one of the most volatile districts in the south bordering India.
Killings have become daily occurrences leading up to controversial elections
National Human Rights Commission this week said vote isn’t possible with is the status quo continues.
Government is still making frantic last-minute efforts to bring four militant groups to the negotiating table to normalize the situation ahead of the polls.
Peace Minister Ram Chandra Paudel said Tuesday four groups have accepted an invitation to sit down for negotiations this week.
Several persons were inured when a bomb was set off in Birgunj overnight. assembly elections on 10 April.
Government has invited militants for talks to restore peace for the vote.
Talks with four groups are expected this week.
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PM Koirala discusses imports police equipment from India; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 26 March: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Wednesday discussed import of equipment for police from India intercepted by Maoists at the border town of Butwal Monday.
Police broke a Maoist cordon and released the equipment needed for election purposes, government said as more than one dozen Maoists were injure din the operation.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda has demanded a ‘satisfactory’ explanation by Wednesday from Koirala for the import of the consignment in three Indian trucks against the spirit of a government, Maoist peace accord to ‘rig’ elections.
Maoists have been demanding equal treatment of state and the PLA.
Maoists said the peace agreement debars fresh supplies of materials for the state security agencies.
The supply is the first known supply of materials from India which banned supplies after King Gyanendra slapped a three-year direct rule in february 2005 as he fought the Maoist people’s war.
Great Britain and USA joined India is banning supply of military hardware.
India has confirmed Monday it had supplied only of riot gear at Nepal government to conduct assembly election.
"The supplies consist of items required by the Armed Police Force in the context of their responsibility for augmenting security for the forthcoming CA elections," Indian embassy spokesman Gopal Bagley told The Himalayan Times.
The newspaper quoting the Indian embassy said riot gear, teargas shells and communications equipment were also supplied.
But RSS quoting home ministry spokesman Mod Raj Dotel said the consignments were ‘part of Indian government’s assistance to Nepal’s peace process’.
Dotel denied Maoist claim the import was ‘illegal’ as it ‘didn’t include material which would disrupt the election.’
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Americans resume training to Nepal Army

Kathmandu, 26 March: USA has sent a 11-member military team for training fighters after a two-year ban, Janaastha reports.
The team started arriving Monday.
The unit under the Pacific command will impart training to Rangers at the Mountain Warfare Center and Panchkhal.
Altogether 5,000 SLRs and 1.6 million rounds of bullets were imported for Armed Police Force in a consignment intercepted by Maoists, Janaastha reports.
Another 3,000 teargas guns and shells were also secretly supplied by India.
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