By Sushil Sharma in Kathmandu

Human rights groups in Nepal have urged the government to start talks with Maoist rebels to find a peaceful solution to a four-year armed insurgency.

The call came during a meeting of delegates from a number of human rights organisations and members of a high-level government committee.

There are fears of an increase in Maoist violence, ahead of next week's fifth anniversary of the insurrection.

Calls for surrender

The chairman of the meeting - former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba - said the government was ready for talks if the rebels gave up arms.

Although the rebels have not rejected the offer of talks, they say the government may be showing willingness to enter into a dialogue simply as a propaganda exercise.

But Mr Deuba called upon human rights groups to bring the rebels to the negotiating table, and pledged that security forces would stop using force if the rebels gave up arms.

The government committee has already held discussions with opposition parties in an attempt to find a solution to the Maoist insurgency.

More than 1,000 people have been killed since Maoist rebels began their campaign to overthrow Nepal's constitutional monarchy.

The rebels maintain they can only achieve their goal through violence.