Nepali PM Urges Guerrillas to Continue Peace Talks With Gov't

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, November 22, 2001

Nepali PM Urges Guerrillas to Continue Peace Talks With Gov't

Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged the underground ultra-leftist guerrillas to continue the peace talks with the government and resolve the guerrillas insurgency through dialogues, The Kathmandu Post reported Thursday.

"After agreeing for the fourth round of talks, it is irresponsible and dishonest on the part of the guerrillas to pull out of the talks, and I honestly urge them to sit for the fourth round of dialogue and not to jeopardize it," Deuba told the independent English daily Wednesday night.

Deuba stressed that peace talks are essential for the peaceful solution to the guerrillas insurgency, adding that it is the guerrillas' duty to ensure that the bloodbath does not recur in the nation.

The prime minister was referring to the guerrillas' statement to withdraw cease fire, putting the peace process initiated by the Nepali government three months ago into jeopardize.

In a statement issued Wednesday night, the guerrillas accused the government for not creating conducive atmosphere for resolving the problem through dialogue.

"There is no relevancy of cease fire in this circumstances and all doors have been closed to find political solutions," the statement said.

The government and the guerrillas declared cease fire in July this year, paving way for peace talks.

The three rounds of talks held so far between the government and the guerrillas remained inconclusive as the guerrillas demanded the establishment of a republican state, an interim government and a new constitution, which were rejected by the government.

The guerrillas insurgency has claimed about 1,800 lives, including policemen, guerrillas members and civilians, since it began in the Himalayan kingdom in 1996.

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