Posted on 06/16/2007 8:52:08 AM PDT by indcons
The U.S. should talk with Nepal's former rebels who Washington still considers terrorists despite their joining mainstream politics, former U.S. president Jimmy Carter said Saturday.
Carter met Maoist leader Prachanda, who only goes by one name, and his deputy Baburam Bhattarai a day earlier when the former guerrillas urged him to help remove them from the U.S. government's terrorist list.
"My opinion is the United States should establish some communication with the Maoists because it is obvious that the people of Nepal have accepted the Maoists as playing a role in the shaping of the future of this country," Carter told reporters Saturday at the end of his four-day trip to Nepal.
Maoist rebels suspended their armed revolt last year to join a peace process, signed a peace accord and locked up their weapons and fighters in United Nations-monitored camps. They joined Parliament and government this year.
But the U.S. insists the former guerrillas must completely renounce violence and establish their credibility as a peaceful entity before they can be removed from the terrorist list.
"I think the United States' beneficial influence here will be increased if they can talk freely to all the parties involved," Carter said. "I hope there will be a time in the future when the United States can have free communication with all the important political players who will shape the future of Nepal."
"And obviously the Maoists have complied with the United Nations requirements. They have disarmed to some degree, they have adopted the principal of multiparty democracy in participating in the eight-party system," Carter said.
Carter arrived in Nepal on Wednesday and met top political leaders.
The Atlanta-based Carter Center, founded by the former U.S. president, is also helping the Nepalese government with Constituent Assembly elections to be held later this year.
Can’t we duct tape his mouth or something?
Jiminey Karter and Jorge Buush...jousting for lowest place on the presidential poll.
Jimmuh needs to have a warm glass of milk and take his midday nap. This clown is a joke.
Seems to me that the last person you’d turn to for advice on handling terrorists is Jimmy Carter. I’m sure there are 52 former American hostages who’d agree with me.
for. real.
Just let the dumbass talk,He discredits himself daily—and it’s comic relief for a lot of us.
Every time this irrelevant peanut opens his piehole he shows the world what a total fool and a$$hole he really is.
“u.s. should talk to maoists.”
why?
will they give up the names of their operatives in the u.s.?
Maybe if we sent Jimmah to Iran, they’d keep him.
Can someone photoshop Jimmuh in this pic?
Yea, at gunpoint. Jimmy has fully gone over to the darkside.
Everytime you "think", Carter, you weaken the nation.
Nah. They may be corrupt, violent, and evil, but they're not stupid.
Talk to them and say what? “Cease or die” comes to mind!
Can the case be made that it is unconstitutional for President Bush to endorse a Muslim nation of Kosovo being founded?
What about separation of chuch and state provisions? This instills a theocracy. So what if it is not “our” state. Our government cannot fund Christian Theocracies abroad, nor should it.
This miserable excuse for a human being was the President of The United States for four agonizingly long years.
He should have crawled back to dusty, crummy Plains and shut his imbecilic trap!
This fool is so out of it that someone should have him committed.
However, your point is well taken. An independent muslim Kosovo, as being endorsed by el presidente Bushie is just as lame-brained and dangerous.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.