KATHMANDU – The government has concluded the first round of dialogue with the Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’-led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN).
The first phase dialogue held at the Prime Minister’s official residence Baluwatar was positive, according to a government source.
Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ along with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s foreign affairs advisor Dr Rajan Bhattarai of the government’s committee held the dialogue with the Biplav-led CPN’s two-member high-level committee that included Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma ‘Prakanda’ and Udaya Chalaune ‘Dipak’ as members.
Both sides have agreed to hold a second round of talks soon. Dr Bhattarai, a member of the government committee, said that the dialogue was positive. “ The dialogue has headed toward a positive direction,” he said.
The Biplav-led committee is said to have put forth their demands to lift a ban on their party and release their leaders and cadres arrested by the government, according to the source.
Earlier on Tuesday, the government had formed the two-member committee led by Home Minister Badal to hold talks with Biplav-led CPN. Immediately after the government’s announcement, Biplav has also formed the high-level two-member committee led by Prakanda.
Following its violent activities, the government on March 12, 2019 had decided to outlaw the CPN led by Biplav and banned its activities.
