Nepal 'ready' for talks with Maoist rebels

KATHMANDU, JULY 8. Nepal said today it was ready for peace talks with the Maoist rebels to end anti-government insurgency, a day after a large number of policemen were shot dead by the guerrillas.

``The government is always ready for talks to end the violence but the other side (the rebel group) is not serious for the meeting,'' the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr. Ram Chandra Poudel, told Reuters. Mr. Poudel, who is in charge of the Home (interior) Ministry, said the kingdom's Social Democrat Government had sent ``feelers for talks'' but the Maoists had not responded. Mr. Poudel's comments came after the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) rebels killed police officers and a civilian in a string of attacks at security posts across the mountainous kingdom on Friday.

The toll was the highest since the Maoists began their rebellion in 1996 to try and topple the kingdom's constitutional monarchy. The insurgency has so far claimed about 1,750 lives. The Maoists have stepped up their violence since last month's massacre of the entire royal family.

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Section  : International
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