From: "Stasi" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 02:54:26 +0100 To: "Peoples War" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [Peoples War] Nepal: First Talks Held With Maoists - BBC Online Thursday, 30 August, 2001, 12:51 GMT 13:51 UK Nepal holds first talks with Maoists ======================= http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1516000/1516332.stm Guerrillas want to end Nepal's monarchy Nepal's government and Maoist guerrillas have described their first ever substantive peace talks as positive and cordial. "Our demands are that Nepal be declared a republic state, a new constitution be drafted and an interim government be established" Maoist delegation leader In a joint statement after meeting at Godavari, south of the capital Kathmandu, the two sides said they were committed to resolving their differences peacefully and would meet again within two weeks at an undisclosed venue. Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mohara told journalists the guerrillas had presented their demands, but had received no immediate response from the government. The two sides agreed to the talks last month in an attempt to end a violent five-year uprising that has claimed about 1,800 lives. The BBC's Daniel Lak in Kathmandu says the commitment to resume dialogue is a positive first step, although there is little common ground between them. Rebel demands Earlier, the Maoists' three negotiators received a hero's welcome when they arrived in the town of Kirtipur, south of the capital, close to where the talks are taking place. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and the rebels called a truce in July. The Maoists' demands include rewriting the constitution, abolishing Nepal's constitutional monarchy and establishing an interim government. The prime minister has made it clear he will not compromise on the constitutional monarchy. Hammer and sickle The town of Kirtipur, about 15 kilometres (nine miles) south of the capital, was decked in red hammer and sickle flags and banners saying "Welcome to our Maoist heroes". The Maoists received heroes' welcomes About a dozen police officers watched but did nothing about a gathering that would have been illegal and ended in violence just a few weeks ago. Before the talks Mr Mohara told the crowd that the insurgency would resume if negotiations failed. "Our demands are that Nepal be declared a republic state, a new constitution be drafted and an interim government be established leading to transition of power in the country," he said at a public meeting on Wednesday. Our correspondent said the Maoists' uprising has entered a new phase, largely because of the massacre of most of the Nepalese royal family in June. Many people are convinced that political change cannot be far behind such a traumatic event and they are looking to these talks to bring that about peacefully. But with the army now deployed in many Maoist controlled areas and the two sides so far apart on their bargaining positions, more bloodshed is thought likely, our correspondent said. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
