Nepal interim government delayed, but no snags seen

KATHMANDU, Dec 1 (Reuters) Nepal's Maoists and political parties failed to meet a deadline set for today to form an interim government, but said the plan had only been delayed and progress was expected next week.

Under an earlier schedule agreed with the government, the Maoists -- who fought since 1996 to topple Nepal's monarchy -- had been due to take their first step into mainstream politics today by entering an interim cabinet.

But the government and the former rebels said the deadline was pushed back due to a delay last month in signing a historic peace accord.

''Now we hope that an interim parliament will be formed next week after the finalisation of a (temporary) constitution within one or two days,'' senior Maoist leader and negotiator Dinanath Sharma told Reuters. ''Then the interim cabinet will be formed.'' The government said it was drafting the provisional constitution, which was crucial to convene a temporary parliament with the Maoists included in it.

''Since the signing of the comprehensive peace accord was delayed, it has upset other schedules including the formation of an interim parliament and government,'' said Tourism Minister Pradip Gyanwali, a government negotiator.

''We are trying for that as early as possible.'' Last month's landmark accord declared a formal end to the bloody conflict in which more than 13,000 people have died.

The comments by the government and the rebels came as Nepal's influential southern neighbour, India, pledged support to the peace process at the end of a three-day visit to Kathmandu by Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon.

His discussions in Kathmandu ''strengthen India's belief that the people of Nepal can successfully address the challenging tasks ahead related to democratic nation building'', the Indian foreign ministry said in a statement in New Delhi.

The peace accord came months after King Gyanendra bowed to pro-democracy protests and handed power back to political parties.

Yesterday, a government-appointed panel submitted a draft of the new national anthem to replace the old one that praised the king.

The government and the Maoists have also agreed to a series of measures for the management of arms and mandated the United Nations to monitor their weapons. The UN Security Council is discussing the plan, which is expected to be approved next week.

The government has also conceded a key demand of the Maoists -- the election of a special assembly tasked to write a new constitution and decide the fate of the monarchy, which the former rebels want abolished.

The vote is planned for June 2007 but no date has been fixed.

REUTERS PDM KN1950