Koirala names seven-member Cabinet

      Kathmandu: Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has appointed a seven-member Cabinet. While the Prime Minister has kept some of the portfolios with him for further cabinet expansion, CPN(UML)'s Khagda Prasad Oli is the kindom's new Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. Ram Sharan Mahat of the Nepali Congress (NC) has been made the Finance Minister while Nepal Congress spokesperson Krishna Sitaula has been named the country's Home Minister. Gopal Shrestha of Nepali Congress (D) will be Minister of Physical Planning and Works and Mahanta Thakur of NC will look after the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry. Prabhu Narayan Chaudary of the United Front has been given responsibility of Land Reform and Management. A meeting of the leaders of Seven Party alliances, held in Kathmandu, agreed in principle to limit the strength of the Cabinet to 21.

Richard Boucher arrives in Nepal

      Kathmandu: US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Richard Boucher arrived in Nepal on Tuesday, after the Himalayan kingdom formulated its new cabinet aimed with the task of negotiating peace with Maoist rebels and curbing the king's powers. Nepal monarch, King Gyanendra, who bowed to bloody street protests last week and handed power back to political parties, appointed the cabinet on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's recommendation. Tuesday's announcement came two days after Nepal's parliament unanimously approved a proposal by Koirala to hold elections for a special Assembly to write a new constitution to decide the future of the monarchy. The cabinet, which is an interim arrangement, faces the difficult task of holding talks with the Maoist rebels, win their backing for the elections, and reverse laws introduced by King Gyanendra to maintain his grip on power. Boucher, the first senior US official to visit the country since King Gyanendra returned power, said that the United States would stand by Nepal in helping it rebuild itself. He said he would also be discussing the Maoist issue. "We are here at a hopeful moment, we are glad to see that the voice of the people has been listened to. We look forward to talking to the political leaders about what can be done in this country and especially about how the US can help build back democracy in Nepal," said Boucher. Norway's Development Co-operation Minister, Erik Solheim, is also scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu. Both visitors are expected to hold talks with Koirala and the other leaders. King Gyanendra appointed Koirala as Prime Minister last week on the recommendation of the seven parties that launched weeks of anti-monarchy protests, in which at least 15 people were killed and thousands others wounded. The Maoists, who have been pressing for the Assembly, have not reacted to parliament's proposal for the vote. But a senior rebel leader called it positive. Koirala has already invited the rebels, who control huge swathes of the countryside, for talks to try to bring peace to the Himalayan nation. But concerns have been rife over the state being turned into the hands of extremists. Boucher said it was obvious that the Maoists would have to give up violence to join the political mainstream. "Well that is one of the questions, we'll be asking. Are the Maoists really serious about it? For in order to join the political mainstream they have to be well prepared to give up arms and give up violence. Everybody needs to participate in the political process and not use violence," he added. Political parties are under popular pressure to abolish the monarchy and turn Nepal into a republic. That is also a key demand of the Maoists to end their decade-old insurgency, which has claimed more than 13,000 lives.

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