Kathmandu, June 13: Terming "peace and polls" as its twin objectives, the newly sworn-in Nepalese government has said it aimed to establish permanent peace in the country and hold general elections soon, even as it formed a new team to continue peace talks with Maoist rebels. "The government is committed to achieving these goals by forging national consensus with the major political parties", Nepalese information and comunications minister and government spokesman Kamal Thapa said shortly after taking part in the swearing-in-ceremony.

A new team comprising minister for finance Prakash Chandra Lohani and minister for information and communication Kamal Thapa was formed to continue the peace talks with the CPN-Maoists in the first cabinet meeting of the new government, official sources said yesterday.

The government is committed to create an environment where there would be no confrontation, Thapa said.

The new team will replace the five-member old talks team formed by former prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand. The cabinet also decided to set up a peace talks coordination secretariat at PM's office at Singhdurbar in order to institutionalize the peace process.


Bureau Report