I/II. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2011/feb/feb03/news16.php
<http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2011/feb/feb03/news16.php> Nation finally gets a PM ending the six month long status quo Nepal has finally got a Prime Minister ending the six-month long status quo as the Legislature Parliament elected UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal to the top executive post Thursday evening. Khanal got elected as the 34th Prime Minister of Nepal through a parliament voting as the largest party in the parliament, the Unified CPN (Maoist) withdrew in his support. Khanal received 368 votes, Paudel received 122 votes, while Gachchhadar received 67 votes. In addition to his party UML and his largest supporter Unified CPN (Maoist), Rastriya Janamorcha, CPN (ML), CPN (ML-Samajwadi), Nepa Rastriya Party, Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi), Rastriya Janmukti Party, Nepali Janata Dal and Sanghiya Loktantrik Rastriya Manch had also supported Khanal. Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party lawmakers boycotted election process protesting against the amendment of parliamentary regulations. Khanal got elected as the PM Thursday evening defeating his rivals Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Paudel and Madhesi Janadhikar Forum – Loktantrik chairman Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar at the election held at the parliament Thursday evening. UCPN (Maoist), which had fielded its chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal for the post of the Prime Minister, decided through an emergency standing committee meeting to withdraw Dahal’s candidacy and support Khanal. Speaking at the Legislature Parliament, Maoist chairman Dahal said, his party was sacrificing once again for the sake of the nation and people by supporting Khanal to end the status quo. We have decided to sacrifice once again to show that we Nepalis can decide nfor ourselves, said Dahal. With Khanal’s election to the top executive post, a six-month long status quo has ended. The nation was running under a caretaker government for the last six months after erstwhile Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned in June last year. Khanal was born in Ilam on March 2, 1950. He has been involved in politics for over three decades. He was elected the UML chairman by the eighth general convention of the party on February 16, 2009. Khanal got elected as lawmaker from Ilam constituency 1 in the CA elections in 2008. Khanal had also filed nomination for the post of Prime Minister in the previous election process which prolonged for six months without any results. He had withdrawn his candidacy as he could not get assurance of two-thirds lawmakers in the parliament as per the mandate of his party’s Central Committee. II. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2011/feb/feb04/news01.php<http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2011/feb/feb03/news16.php> UN, India, US, EU, Japan hail successful PM election, congratulates PM-elect Khanal The international community has hailed the successful parliamentary election that elected Jhala Nath Khanal as the new Prime Minister of the country ending a six-month long status quo. The United Nations, India, the United States, the European Union and Japan among others welcomed the successful election and congratulated the newly elected PM Khanal. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday evening welcomed the election of Jhalanath Khanal as Prime Minister of Nepal. Ban congratulated the Prime Minister-elect and reaffirmed the support of the United Nations to all efforts to complete the country’s peace process, and to adopt a new constitution by the stipulated date of 28 May this year. “The Secretary-General commends the Parliament for this significant achievement and all Nepali parties and leaders for their efforts to form a new government,” said a statement released by the spokesperson of the Secretary-General. “He believes this development will give a significant boost to efforts to fully implement their outstanding commitments under the Comprehensive Peace Accord and the interim constitution, notably the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants, democratization of the army and adoption of a new constitution,” it added. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also congratulated Khanal on being elected the new prime minister of Nepal over phone immediately after the election on Thursday evening. Meanwhile, in a statement the US Embassy in Kathmandu said, “The U.S. Embassy congratulates people of Nepal on the election of the Prime Minister. We look forward to working with incoming Prime Minister Khanal and continuing the warm and constructive relationship between the United States and Nepal.” “We are hopeful that today’s election will give renewed momentum to the peace process and constitution drafting,” the statement added. Likewise, British ambassador to Nepal John Tucknott issued a press statement on behalf of all EU nations saying, "I would like to offer my congratulations to Jhalanath Khanal on his election as Prime Minister. We look forward to working with Mr Khanal and his government, and trust that the Prime Minister will seek to build a broad coalition. We encourage the new government together with the other parties to take immediate steps to advance the peace process, draft the Constitution and create the necessary conditions for increasing security, stability and prosperity for all Nepalis." Japan also congratulated Khanal on his election as Prime Minister. “The future of Nepal, as never before, is contingent upon the concerted and constructive efforts by all the political parties. At this critical juncture, Japan sincerely wishes that by overcoming differences among political parties through the dialogue based on concerted and constructive spirit, the writing of new constitution as well as Nepal’s peace process will be completed in due course to achieve the aspirations of the people of Nepal,” a Japanese Embassy release said. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. 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