A senior Maoist leader has reiterated that his party considers settling political issues as the number one priority.

Even as prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that political resolution cannot proceed before arms management, Maoist spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara has said that political issues are most important.

On Friday, PM Koirala talking to reporters in his hometown of Biratnagar had said that during his recent informal chat with Maoist chairman Prachanda, the latter, too, had agreed that settling the issue of arms were important for moving the peace process ahead.

“We have been stressing for package settlement. Certainly, the issue of arms management is there to be resolved. But that is not the only outstanding issue,” Mahara said.

The summit talks between the seven parties and the Maoists, which was scheduled to be held early this week, has been rescheduled for October 8. The summit meeting is widely expected to give a package solution to issues concerning arms management as well as interim arrangement.