Home Minister Dharma Bahadur Thapa said Saturday the government of Prime Minister Lokendra  Bahadur Chand that assumed office in the second week of October has not received any formal official offer for talks from the Maoists to resolve the issue of the communist insurgency.

“There has been no official offer for talks. The government cannot reach or comment on proposals put through newspaper statements,” Thapa told reporters. “An atmosphere has to be created by both sides for the talks,” Thapa told reporters.

Thapa said the government was ready to hold talks with Maoists to resolve the insurgency issue. Prime Minister Chand himself has said publicly the government has approached human rights groups to mediate with the Maoists.

The revelation comes as the Chand government said it is ready to negotiate a peace with the rebels. PM Chand heads a political committee in the cabinet to negotiate a peace. The government has not finalized plans to create a cell to talk with the rebels.