China distances itself from Maoist rebels

BEIJING, Apr 27: China distanced itself from Nepal's self-styled Maoist rebels Today, saying the group had no connection with any Chinese person or group.

China has refused to identify with or provide help to Nepal's Maoists, who take their inspiration and name from late Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong, having long ago abandoned ambitions to export its revolution.

''They call themselves Maoists, but they have nothing to do with any organisation or person domestically in China,'' Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told a regular news briefing in Beijing.

''We uphold the principle of not interfering in other countries' affairs,'' he said. ''We hope that our friendly neighbour Nepal can develop stably and harmoniously.'' The Maoists want to topple the monarchy and set up a single-party communist republic in the impoverished Himalayan nation. More than 13,000 people have died in the conflict since it started in 1996.

The rebels declared a three-month ceasefire from Thursday and political parties forming a new government promised to work with them, dramatically raising hopes of an end to the decade-old conflict.

The truce came after sweeping anti-monarchy protests by hundreds of thousands of people that eventually prompted King Gyanendra to reconvene the country's dissolved parliament.

REUTERS

Related Stories
One mn people participating in rally start arriving
Koirala elected as leader of NC
Parties, civil society press to cut King's power
Nepal Maoist rebels declare three-month ceasefire