Kathmandu, Aug 18: The third round of peace talks between the government and the Maoists got off to a shaky start with the rebels rejecting the government's blueprint for reform. The government, on the first day of the peace talks yesterday, offered to form an all-party interim government and hold early general elections if the Maoists gave up their armed struggle.
The Maoists leader, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, rejected the reform blueprint saying it was ''disappointing''. ''This government has the temerity to ask the people's movement to hand over arms. This is ridiculous. Most of our demands cannot be incorporated in the present Constitution. That's why we are demanding a new Constitution. The government is only willing to make cosmetic changes. This will not take us any further in resolving the present crisis,'' Dr Bhattarai was quoted as saying by a newspaper. The Maoists are demanding a new constitution and downsizing the power of the Nepali monarchy.
Bhattarai also expressed his unhappiness over what he said was the government's total silence on restructuring the Nepalese Army and said the King should have nothing to do with it. Bureau Report