The Hindu : National : U.N. intervention must for talks: Nepal Maoists

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 30, 2004

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U.N. intervention must for talks: Nepal Maoists

By Marcus Dam

KOLKATA, SEPT. 29. Nepal Maoists have reportedly demanded the intervention of the United Nations or any human rights organisation recognised by it as a condition for talks with the Nepal Government. This was in response to a recent call by the Sher Bahadur Deuba Government for negotiations to pave the way for cessation of hostilities in that country.

The Maoists' demand was contained in a "message'' to the Government sent "within the past week,'' senior officials of Nepal's diplomatic mission in India told The Hindu here today. The rebels have also asked whether the Government was committed enough to resolve the crisis. "The Government can be flexible to any point within the bounds of multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy,'' the diplomats pointed out.

The Nepal Government has, for long, been insisting that the Maoists lay down arms before a dialogue could begin. But with the situation in the country showing little signs of improvement, it was decided that a "high-level peace committee,'' comprising leaders of various "democratic'' parties, be set up to suggest ways of handling the crisis.

Discord

There was already discord within the committee (whose chairperson is the Prime Minister) over the stand to be adopted in dealing with the Maoists' demand.

At a meeting of the committee in Kathmandu today, a senior member representing the Nepal Communist Party reportedly argued that the Government should unilaterally declare a cease-fire to ensure a conducive atmosphere for negotiations with the rebels.The Government has so far been questioning the need for the involvement of a third party in negotiations even as leaders of a few other political parties indicated that the Maoists ought to first justify their demand for such an intervention.

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