'Nepali interim govt only after arms management'

Kathmandu, June 21: Nepali Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has said the formation of an interim government including the Maoists was not possible without management of Maoists' arms.

''There will be no interim government without resolving the arms,' Mr Sitaula said yesterday.

During the high level talks held between the senior leaders of the seven parties and the Maoists on Friday, the two sides had agreed to form an interim government and dissolve the parliament before holding election of constituent assembly.

However, there was a debate on the dissolution of the House, reinstated at the height of the popular movement against king Gyanendra in April.

The parliament had slashed the power of the King and made him ceremonial without any role in the state affairs.

The Maoists have been demanding the dissolution the House as there is no representation of the rebels in the parliament.

Most of the senior level leaders of the seven parties alliance are against the dissolution of the House saying it the only legitimate body.

The government and the Maoists had also signed 25 point code of conduct to make the talks succesful.

The two sides had also agreed to invite United Nations to monitor the arms of the Nepalese army and the Maoists before the election of the constituent assembly to write a new constitution.

More than 13,000 people have lost their lives during the Maoists insurgency since 1996.

Meanwhile, Bharat Keshar Singh, chairman of world Hindu federation and honorary aide de camp of King Gyanendra, and his two sons were beaten up by local people and students in Lainchaur, Kathmandu yesterday.

UNI

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