Nepal talks may start next week

Nepal talks may start next week

Peace talks, aimed at ending Nepal's long-running Maoist insurgency could begin next week, according to a senior Nepalese minister.

The Maoists called a ceasefire two months ago

There has been no confirmation yet from the rebels.

Narayan Singh Pun, who is also the government chief negotiator for the talks, said the first round of talks would be a goodwill meeting.

He made the remarks as the rebel chief negotiator, Baburam Bhattarai, arrived in the capital Kathmandu on Friday.

Speaking at a public meeting in the western town of Pokhara, Mr Pun said the talks would start in Kathmandu on Tuesday.

Informal discussions

However, although Mr Bhattarai, who heads the five-member rebel negotiating team, has not yet made an appearance in public, his arrival in the capital has fuelled speculation about early peace talks.

One of the rebel negotiators, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, has been holding informal discussions with the government negotiator for the past few weeks.

A cease-fire has been in place for the past two months.

Around 7,000 people have died in the seven-year conflict.

The rebels say their ultimate objective is to establish a communist republic.

But they have recently softened their demands for the abolition of the monarchy.

At present, they have been insisting on a round-table conference, an interim government and a constituent assembly to frame a new constitution.