Nepal rebels slam government as peace talks delayed

KATHMANDU, Sep 28 (Reuters) Nepal's Maoist rebels accused the multi-party interim government today of reneging on promises and setting new conditions in a bid to hold on to power as formal peace talks between them were further delayed.

Tourism Minister Pradip Gyanwali, a government negotiator, said that talks expected to resume tomorrow had been put off until after the end of the Hindu festival of Dasain next week.

''Both sides have decided to hold the summit meeting between their leaders on October 8,'' the two sides said in a joint statement. ''They have also agreed to take the ongoing talks forward to an early conclusion.'' The statement came after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala held an informal meeting with rebel chief Prachanda.

The negotiations aim to resolve differences between the two sides over disarming the rebels and the future of the monarchy before drafting a new constitution.

The differences have stalled the peace process in the troubled country and delayed the Maoists' entry into the interim government.

Some political parties say the rebels must give up their arms before joining the administration.

The Maoists have rejected their demands and a top rebel leader accused the parties of delaying talks to hold on to the power they won after weeks of street protests in April ended King Gyanendra's absolute rule.

''They don't want any progressive change. The government is dilly-dallying to continue in power,'' Baburam Bhattarai, number two to Prachanda, told Reuters earlier today.

''Monarchy should be suspended, the (state) army as well as the economy should be restructured. These are the key issues that need to be sorted out in the talks,'' he said.

Koirala and Prachanda held their first formal talks in June and the two sides agreed that the Maoists should join an interim cabinet that is to oversee elections to a new assembly.

That assembly would draft a new constitution and decide the future of the monarchy -- a key demand of the Maoists, whose decade-long war has left more than 13,000 people dead.

But political parties want the Maoists to put away their weapons, fearing the rebels could otherwise intimidate voters.

''The Maoists must not continue the politics of guns any more,'' said Ram Chandra Poudel, a top figure in Koirala's centrist Nepali Congress party.

''They should join the mainstream like any other party and win the people's support.'' REUTERS SP KP1822