Annan urges Nepal peace talks

The United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, has called on Nepal's government and Maoist rebels to try to restart the peace process in the country.

Mr Annan said that the peace process had faced serious obstacles in recent weeks and was now at a critical stage.

The rebels and the government agreed to a ceasefire in January, but negotiations to find a solution to the conflict have been on hold since May.

Correspondents say that recent dialogue between the two sides - on the subjects of prisoner releases, the restriction of the army, and the involvement of the King in negotiations - has degenerated into a bad-tempered exchange of letters.

Mr Annan said that he was at the disposal of Nepal to help achieve an end to a conflict which began in 1996 and has cost at least 7,000 lives.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service