The much-awaited talks between Nepal Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chief Prachanda is likely to take place here tomorrow, a highly-placed source revealed today.

‘‘Prime Minister Koirala and CPN-Maoist chief Prachanda will meet on Friday to establish durable peace in the country, a dream Nepalese people have seen after the end to king Gyanendra’s direct rule through an intensified agitation,’’ a member of the peace talks team said.

However, no official announcement has been made about the date of the top level meeting between the seven-party alliance government and the elusive Maoist leader.

But after today’s two-hour long talks, Home Minister Krishna Sitoula, who is also the chief government peace negotiator, said the Koirala-Prachanda meeting will be held ‘‘very soon’’ in Kathmandu, without disclosing the date.

During the meeting with the Maoist chief, all top leaders of the seven-party alliance will be present, Sitoula said without elaborating. Even today’s talks were shrouded in secrecy. State-run radio Nepal disclosed the venue and time of talks only a few minutes before the parleys began.

Prime Minister Koirala is leaving for Bangkok on Saturday for medical check up, according to Koirala’s personal aide. Koirala, 84, is suffering from respiratory problems and he has been advised by his personal physician to go abroad for the check-up.

As Koirala is leaving Nepal for about a week, he wants to settle down the issue before his visit, a source close to Koirala said. The talks between Prachanda and Koirala is expected to pave the way for ending a decade-long armed conflict that has so far claimed 13,000 lives.

... contd.