Nepal's Prime Minister postpones resignation

Nepal's Prime Minister postpones resignation

2011-08-14 02:50:07 GMT+7 (ICT)

KATHMANDU (BNO NEWS) -- Nepal's Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal on Saturday put on hold his resignation despite his pledge that he would resign if any notable progress was not made in the peace process by August 13.

Prime Minister Khanal decided to not resign after a meeting with the ruling parties and the parties supporting the present government. He would instead be making an address to the Legislature-Parliament about the issue of resignation and a political way out on August 15, according to the Himalayan Times.

A statement released by Prime Minister's Press Advisor, Surya Thapa, said Khanal will discuss at the meeting the issue of reaching a political consensus to form a unity government.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Khanal made some serious proposals before the meeting of the top leaders of the three major parties for the formation of a government of consensus. However, no agreement was reached.

Khanal announced on August 1 that he would step down if the government failed to conclude major tasks of the peace process and forge consensus by August 13. The prime minister conceded that the parties had failed to implement a number of agreements signed in the last four years and urged his coalition partner, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist, and the main opposition, the Nepali Congress, to take his appeal seriously.

Khanal was elected in February after months of political stalemate and was tasked with speeding up the drafting of the new constitution. The parliament met 17 times before choosing the new leader.

A new constitution was a condition of a 2006 peace agreement that the Maoists signed with the government, ending a decade-long civil war.

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