The Chinese Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs He Yafei, in a bilateral meting with the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, on March 2 emphasised on the importance of a peaceful and stable Nepal, to facilitate economic cooperation between the two countries. The two sides, amongst other issues, discussed the possibility of an extension of the Tibet railway link to Kathmandu1.

Meanwhile, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has announced that the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist) would launch a revolution if it does not win the elections. The main reason cited for this move was the agenda of the Maoists, which Bhattarai claims, no other political party is capable of handling2. Whereas, any possibility of an electoral alliance with the Maoists was rejected by the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), the CPN-Maoist Chairman Prachanda in a recent statement stated that such a possibility is not ruled out. Prachanda in a recent announcement also said that reports of him being the future President of Nepal are redundant3.

Meanwhile, on March 6, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, while hailing the Nepal Army for its glorious history of performing extraordinary duties with discipline and courage, emphasised upon a “broad, transparent, inclusive and sustainable” structure for the Nepali Army4.

• 1. “Yafei tells PM China is ready to support Nepal,” Nepal News, March 3, 2008, at http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/mar/mar03/news06.php
• 2. “A new revolution if Maoists lose the election, says Dr. Bhattarai,” Nepal News, March 5, 2008, http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/mar/mar05/news02.php
• 3. “Prachanda reiterates there will be electoral alliance,” March 7, 2008, at http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2008/mar/mar07/news02.php
• 4. “PM Koirala Hails NA's Role for Peaceful Nepal,” Himalayan Times, March 7, 2008, at http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullstory.asp?filename=aFanata0vfqzpca0...