Talks with Maoists today
PM asks parties to send their representatives to committee

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Apr. 20: Formal talks between His Majesty's Government and the CPN-Maoist begins tomorrow (Monday) to convert the cease-fire into a permanent peace. The talks will begin at 8 A.M. at Hotel Shanker, Lazimpat.

Minister for Information and Communications, and General Administration Ramesh Nath Pandey said at a meeting with journalists today that Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand had sent letters to leaders of all the political parties represented in the dissolved House of Representatives to name their representatives to the directives committee. The committee if being formed to give suggestions and recommendations to the government's negotiating team.

The Prime Minister also contacted them on the telephone, said Pandey. The government always wanted the participation of the political parties so that multi-party democracy could take root and function properly, he added.

Minister Pandey, who is also a member of the government's negotiating team, said both the government and the CPN-Maoist were serious about the talks and committed to convert the 11-week-long ceasefire into a permanent peace.

"The government is earnest about the talks," he said and asked all, including the media, to extend their cooperation for the success of the talks.

To a query about the legitimacy of the negotiating team, Minister Pandey said that the government team had the authority and the power to negotiate because the deputy prime minister himself is leading the team and ministers are its members.

The government's team is serious, legitimate and is aware about the needs of the country and the aspirations of the people, which is to establish permanent peace at present, he said.

Answering another query on whether the government will put forth its agenda tomorrow, Minister Pandey said let the talks start first.

To the comment made by president of the Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala that the government's negotiating team was a mere 'show-piece', Minister Pandey said that a 'show-piece' is very important to the market economy. "It is the life-line of the market economy."

Other Stories

• Bandh paralyses life across country
• 'All should work for successful peace process'
• POL prices reduced
• Cooperation from all necessary to ensure peace
• CPN (United) stresses unity among parties
• Storm, lightning kill six in eastern region
• Condolences on Hagen's death