Almost 14 hours before peace talks with Maoists to end a bloody communist insurgency, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his ministerial colleagues Wednesday evening held a second round of all party talks with political parties represented in parliament to forge a common position ahead of negotiations with the rebels, government sources said.

Lilamani Pokhrel of the Samyuktha Jana Morcha was not present at the meet. The political parties had earlier given the Deuba government a mandate to begin peace talks with Maoists without compromising on constitutional monarchy, multiparty democracy and fundamental rights.

Deuba’s ruling Nepali Congress Party’s central committee will meet in emergency session Thursday morning before the government rebel talks begin to end a rebellion that has claimed more than 1,800 lives in nearly six years.

Deuba told a public meeting Wednesday monarchy was an essential institution even as Maoist negotiators said they will push for a republic, an interim government and a new constitution at the peace talks.