Nepali gov't-guerrilla summit talks resume in Kathmandu

The forth sitting of the on- going summit peace talks between the ruling Nepali Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) government and the guerrillas began at Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's residence in Kathmandu Sunday afternoon. Top leaders of the eight parties are taking part in the talks.

The summit talks that began last Sunday are yet to reach an accord on major political issues even though the two sides have agreed to hold elections for the Constituent Assembly (CA) by mid- June next year.

The talks had been postponed for Sunday after the participating parties sought more time for homework on Thursday.

The first and second rounds of summit meetings held on Oct. 8 and Oct. 10 ended inconclusively as the government and the guerrilla failed to find a consensus in issues like the guerrilla's arms management, fate of monarchy, and interim legislature.

Sunday's sitting of the summit talks are expected to hold discussions and reach a consensus on key political issues including interim statute, legislature and government, status of the monarchy, and modalities of arms management and CA polls.

The Constituent Assembly is an elected body, like parliament, of elected people's representatives to formulate the new constitution.

Like in previous sittings, no journalist was allowed to enter the talks venue.

Earlier Sunday, guerrilla leader Baburam Bhattarai and government talks team coordinator Home Minister KP Sitaula held discussion on key issues.

Source: Xinhua