Kathmandu: Somewhere lies the hitch. Of the two, the government and the Maoists, one is playing double. It could even be guessed that both were exhibiting their double standards.

Kathmandu’s political watchers conclude that a very dangerous situation prevails at the moment which could only be averted if the government and the Maoists could be brought face to face at the negotiating table.

The pressure is mounting on both to resume the now suspended talks.

In the process, the international community too has expressed its concern for the talks and has urged both the parties to exhibit their sincerity for the talks.

The British Embassy Monday evening has through a press release has asked the Maoists to give up “criminal extortion” and sincerely pursue the peace process.

The Industrial Security Group, ISG, a consortium of five powerful and democratic nations of the West that includes the USA, France, Germany, India and the United Kingdom, has not only told the Maoists to refrain from acts of forced extortion but has also suggested the rebels “to rejoin legitimate Nepali politics”.

The statement was released by the British Embassy representing the countries housed in the ISG group.

A close look at the ISG expression would instantly mean that the countries in the ISG group were not happy with the manner the Maoists had been violating the code of conduct reached in between them and the government. Its corollary would be that if the Maoists continued their acts of omission and commission, the ISG will do the needful. Here lies the significance of the ISG statement.

The Maoists have yet to react to the fresh ISG overture.

Be that as it may, the sudden closure of the Kathmandu contact point of the Maoists in Anamnagar, close to the office of this weekly, has raised doubts in the minds of the informed citizenry who now fear that the talks might go to the dogs.

However, things have deteriorated not to that extent as is being publicised.

The fact is that despite the hitch for the resumption of the peace talks, the Maoists and the government both know that they can’t ignore talks for obvious reasons.

The government can’t ignore because the peaceloving citizenry have been forcing since the very first day of the announcement of a ceasefire. The government can’s ignore the talks, so do the Maoists, because the civil society has suddenly become stronger and been pressing both the parties concerned to sit for the talks or face wide condemnations.

The HR groups, both national and international, have told both the parties that they can’t afford ignoring the talks. Add to this, the ISG is there whose implied message is clear. Fortunately, the UNDP and the British donor agency, the DFID, too expressed their eagerness only the other day to mediate the Maoists-Government talks should they be told to do so.

All put together, the Maoists and the government will sit for the talks.

The Maoists are apparently hard pressed for the talks. The Maoists clearly understand that the State enjoys the support of the entire donor community who also concurrently were powerful democracies against the upsurge of terrorism which means that abandoning talks or delaying the talks with the State would mean inviting wrath for them and their insurgency. The Maoists must have taken by surprise when they could read the name of India in the ISG group. To recall, India has remained a sanctuary for the leaders of the rebels. The fresh ISG statement, which in one way is also India’s concern, to Maoists means much than meets the eye for understandable reasons.

This means that powerful countries of the globe, including neighboring India would wish the Maoists to come to the table. This further means that the Maoists are being pressed more than the government.

Fortunately, after the closure of their contact point in Kathmandu, the Maoists haven’t ruled out the possibility for the talks. All that the rebels have sought from the establishment is a sort of security guarantee to the rebels who have become aboveground in the recent months. The government apparently has hinted that it will abide by their requests for the government also fathoms the scale of damage the insurgency could inflict should the talks fail or the Maoists do not attend the talks.

However, this is not the end of the story.

The Maoists reportedly have been importing arms in Kathmandu through their own channels. The RNA claims that it is in knowledge of these Maoists overtures. Add to this, the Maoists of late have gone crazy and been squeezing leading businessmen and collecting money possibly for its use should the talks fail.

But what is that hitch?

Is the hitch pertaining to the agreement reached in between the rebels and the government to limit the RNA activities within a five kms, periphery to which the government apparently rejected? Or is it that the RNA summarily rejected the rebels proposition that their army be incorporated in the mainstream army? Could be both.

On another plane, the hitch appears to be related not with the security matters but solely on matters that speak of Maoists’ political agenda to which the government has strong reservations: for example, the election to the constituent assembly. To recall, the mainstream parties, save a few, reject the constituent assembly theory.

Or is it that the rebels wish to join the government and then go in for the elections to the constituent assembly?

Will the mainstream parties agree in elevating the ranks of the rebels in the cabinet, an interim one or even an all party government? How the King will react to this proposal? And by the same token, will the powerful West digest the Maoists being elevated to ministerial ranks and that too much ahead of the conclusion of the peace talks?

All said and done, the million dollar questions are: where lies the hitch? Who could untie the knot?

Does this indicate that the King himself should come forward and end the stalemate on both the fronts: the first at the level of parliamentary parties now in agitation and the next, with the Maoists who deliberately or otherwise delaying the talks? However, the Maoists have repeatedly said that they were ready for the talk. All that they need is a go ahead signal from their high command led by comrade Prachanda.