Government, Maoist talks end

November 14, 2001
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The third phase of talks between the government and Maoists ended Tuesday night with an agreement to meet at the end of November to end a communist insurgency that has claimed more than 1,800 lives in nearly six years, sources close to the talks said.

The delayed talks were held more than two months after the second round of parleys after rebels dropped a key demand for a republic in the world’s only Hindu kingdom.

The talks were held at Godavari Village Resort in neighbouring Lalitpur district where the first round of negotiations began in July after Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba assumed office for the second time.

The talks were held for more than five hours. The government rejected rebel demands for an interim government and elections to a constitution assembly to frame what the Maoists call a people’s constitution.

Minister for Physical Planning Chiranjivi Wagle and Maoist politburo member Krishna Bahadur Mahara led the government and rebel negotiating teams.

President of the ruling Nepali Congress party Girija Prasad Koirala is pressing the government not to give in to rebel demands and end the talks soonest so that Maoists do not exploit the cease-fire to re-group and launch fresh attacks