Nepal govt-Maoists agree for assembly elections next April-May

Kathmandu, Oct 10 (UNI) The second meeting of the Nepal government and the Maoists concluded with both sides agreeing to hold elections to a Constituent Assembly by April-May next year.

The meeting which lasted for more than six hours failed to discusson contentious issues like interim statute, future of monarchy and arms management. The meeting had been adjourned till Thursday.

The government and the Maoist, talks teams, have been given the responsibility to finalise the agendas of Thursday's talks.

The two sides also agreed to appoint commissioners at the Election Commission before October 17 to make arrangement for holding election to the Constituent Assembly in scheduled time.

Speaking at a press conference after the meeting, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Maoists spokesperson and Coordinator of Maoist's talk team said that the meeting was positive and need was to make it conclusive.

''We need to do a lot of homework to discuss on the issues. Peace is not the only thing, we need to completely change our country '', he said adding the press conference of Thursday may announce the historical declaration.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is learnt to have asked the Maoists to agree for arms management before CA elections, to which Maoist chairman Prachanda replied that they were OK with arms management so long as other political issues are also dealt in a package form.

Civil society members, various organisations and victims of People's movement 2006 staged a sit-in outside the PM residence with placards and banners urging the SPA and Maoists to take the talks to a logical conclusion at the earliest.

More than 13,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began in 1996.

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