Kathmandu: Nepal`s political leaders on Sunday began a crucial round of negotiations to find a consensus to conclude the delayed peace process, days after agreeing to bring the weapons and cantonments of the former Maoist guerrillas under the direct control of the national Army.

The talks, being attended by top leaders of the main political parties -- ruling UCPM-Maoist, opposition parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML - on the outskirts of the capital Kathmandu, seeks to hammer out a consensus on contentious issues relating to the drafting of the constitution, the form of future governance and federal structure. The top leaders of the three major parties, including Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist chief Prachanda, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML president Jhala Nath Khanal, are holding a key meeting in Hattiban Resort focusing their entire attention to matters relating to the constitution drafting, according to sources close to the Prime Minister. They are expected to settle contentious issues such as forms of governance and types of federal structure to be incorporated in the new constitution.
PTI