Kathmandu, Mar 25: Maoists have rejected the Nepalese government's offer for holding immediate peace talks and set preconditions which included release of five of their Central leaders from jail.
Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara rejected the suggestion made by government negotiator Narayan Singh Pun to immediately start peace talks demanding that the government first release five central level Maoist leaders and withdraw cases registered against top Maoist leaders Prachanda alias Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattarai. However, Deputy Prime Minister and acting president of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) Badri Prasad Mandal resolved that the peace talks between the government and the Maoists would move ahead.
"The government is serious about moving ahead with the peace process and I am confident that the proposed talks will lead to permanent peace in the country," Mandal told reporters.

"The government is committed to holding elections as soon as possible after finding solution to the Maoist problem," Mandal, who was in Rajbiraj to inaugurate the fourth national convention of NSP, said.

He also invited the political parties to take part in the peace talks to be initiated soon.

However, he did not specify date of formal start of the dialogue.

Bureau Report