'Nepal's Maoists seek early peace talks'

Kathmandu, May 7 : Nepal's Maoist rebels are keen to hold early talks with the new government to help end a decade-old insurgency aimed at overthrowing the Hindu monarchy, rebel chief Prachanda today said.

The elusive rebel leader, whose assumed name means ''Awesome'', said the guerrillas also wanted their comrades in jail in Nepal and neighbouring India freed before the dialogue.

''This will create a good atmosphere of confidence,'' Prachanda told the local Nepali language weekly 'Nepal'.

''We feel this (meeting) should take place early,'' Prachanda said. ''The more it is delayed the more it could get harmed.

Feudal elements will get opportunities to play around with it.'' Nepal's new multi-party government last week matched a Maoist truce and called the rebels for talks to which the guerrillas agreed. No date for the meeting has been fixed.

Nepal's seven mainstream political parties and the Maoist rebels entered into a loose deal in November against King Gyanendra who took absolute power early last year.

They are now preparing for elections to an assembly to write a new constitution and decide the future of the monarchy after mass protests last month forced the king to hand power back to the political parties.

The Maoists have been fighting since 1996 to set up one-party communist rule in the Himalayan kingdom. But they now say they will accept the outcome of the election to the special assembly.

More than 13,000 people have died in the conflict that has also badly hurt Nepal's aid and tourism dependent economy.

Reuters

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