Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula (File Photo)
Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala has said the summit meeting between the government and the CPN (Maoist) are likely to be held within a week.

Asked by reporters when the summit meeting will be held, Situala said no date had yet been fixed but “let’s hope” that they would take place this week.

He also said the Maoist side had been breaching the ceasefire code of conduct but the government has not raised this issue so as to maintain the environment of trust. “It is true that they (Maoists) are not abiding by some of the points in the 25-point ceasefire code of conduct. We have been asking the Maoist leaders to sincerely abide by the code of conduct and make their cadres do the same,” he told reporters after a programme in Kathmandu.

He added, “Right now we are in a campaign to transform the mentality created by arms into ‘peace mentality’. This is not a minor campaign. For this, we have even tolerated few things.”

Situala’s statement comes amidst mounting pressure from the Maoists, civil society groups as well as the allies of the SPA for early summit talks to settle the political issues.

A meeting the cabinet on September 06 had directed the government’s negotiating team, which is headed by Situala, to prepare for a summit meeting with the rebel leadership. The Maoists have already formed a 10-member team under chairman Prachanda to expedite the dialogue process.