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Koirala, Prachanda hold talks

Ameet Dhakal

Prime Minister urges Maoist leaders to abide by the code of conduct signed by them

KATHMANDU: Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda held an informal meeting at the official residence of the former in an attempt to restore the plunging confidence between the rebels and the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) Government.

Mr. Prachanda, who attended the talks accompanied by his deputy in the organisation, Babu Ram Bhattrai, complained that the peace process was being "delayed unnecessarily" and that the Government was involved in "suspicious activities".

On Mr. Koirala's part, he told the Maoists not to second-guess the Government's commitment to conducting elections to a constituent assembly. He also urged the rebel leaders to abide by the code of conduct signed by them.

Nepali Congress Central Committee member Shekhar Koirala, who was also present at the meeting, said, "The meeting between the two leaders was mainly aimed at confidence-building." He said the two leaders exchanged views on giving a final shape to the interim Constitution, the modality of the constituent assembly and arms management. They agreed to hold "summit talks" before the Dashain festival at the end of September, and reach an understanding on key issues, Mr. Shekhar Koirala said.

Suspicion and mistrust has replaced confidence between the Government and the rebels who jointly led the April Revolution against the King.

The crisis of confidence hit a new low last week when the rebels enforced a nationwide strike accusing the Government of importing arms from India to suppress them.

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