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KATHMANDU: Last-minute talks between Nepal's government and Maoist rebels began on Tuesday to clinch a deal to end a conflict in which thousands have died in the Himalayan nation, negotiators said.
Both sides said they were “very close” to an agreement on the main issues of disarming the rebels and the future of the monarchy but a pact — expected to be announced on Monday — was delayed because of wrangling over a temporary legislature.
“The agreement was as good as final but members of the ruling seven-party alliance were bargaining among themselves for more seats in the proposed interim parliament,” said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a rebel spokesman and a senior negotiator.
“There has to be an agreement today. We can't leave it like this. It will give a wrong message,” he told Reuters when asked if an accord was possible on Tuesday.
A government negotiator was in agreement.
“I am sure we will sort them out today,” said junior Labour Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
The rebels, fighting since 1996 to topple the monarchy, and the government announced a truce and began negotiations soon after King Gyanendra ceded absolute power following violent street protests in April.
But a dispute over disarming the rebel army had remained a sticking point because the Maoists had refused to lay down their guns before planned elections to a special assembly that would decide whether the Himalayan nation should become a republic.
After several lengthy rounds of talks and pressure from the international community, the rebels say they have agreed to keep their 35,000-strong force in temporary camps and lock up their weapons under U.N. supervision in return for a pledge from the government to keep an equal number of its arms locked up.
“We have shown so much flexibility to take the peace process forward,” Mahara said. “Political parties in the government must settle their differences now.”
Lekhak, the minister, said a peace accord that would include details of arms management, a temporary parliament and an interim government that would include the rebels was expected to be signed by Maoist chief Prachanda and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Tuesday.
The Maoist revolt killed more than 13,000 people and wrecked the economy of one of the poorest countries in the world.
