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| Sunday, 26 September 2004 |
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Maoist rebels ready to negotiate KATHMANDU, Sept 25 (AFP) Maoist rebels said Friday they would resume talks to end eight years of bloodshed in Nepal if they were certain the king and army were in agreement with the premier who offered negotiations. The Maoists, who want to abolish the monarchy, blamed King Gyanendra for the failure of peace bids in 2001 and 2003 and called for international mediation in future talks. "If you are really prepared to hold a dialogue, the king and the army who are pulling the strings should come out from behind the curtain," Maoist leader Prachanda, or "The Fierce," said in response to an invitation to talks by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. "If this condition is met, we are ready to come forward for a dialogue," Prachanda, the nom de guerre of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, said in a statement. Some 10,000 people have died in the civil war since 1996. Deuba this month visited India which offered renewed military support to Nepal. "Can the present government organise negotiations with the United Nations or a reliable international human rights organisation instead of asking for military support from its Indian rulers?" Prachanda said. |
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