Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN (UML) general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal met today, discussing the contentious issue of army integration and other matters related to smooth functioning of the coalition government.

Emerging from the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Singha Durbar, Khanal said that he asked the Prime Minister to adopt a liberal approach regarding the composition of the army integration special committee by ‘considering’ the demand of the Nepali Congress.

Dispute over the number of representatives in the special committee should be resolved right away so as not to further complicate the integration issue, Khanal added, referring to the NC’s demand that it should have two representatives should it join the panel.

Khanal informed that he also asked the Prime Minister to start homework to set up committees and commissions on state restructuring and involuntary disappearances.

The meeting between the Prime Minister and UML general secretary comes at a time when some UML leaders including K.P Sharma Oli are expressing dissatisfaction over the functioning of the coalition cabinet. Few days earlier, Oli went on to say that the UML should now rethink its participation in the Maoist-led government. nepalnews.com mk Dec 03 08