In what may hold the key to ending the decade-long insurgency in Nepal, rebel Maoists today signed a historic accord with the seven-party ruling alliance to take the country along the path of peace and democracy.

By inking the accord, the Maoists have agreed to renounce violence and confine weapons and cadres in designated cantonments under UN supervision while the two sides prepare for elections to the constituent assembly by June 2007.

Today’s accord at the summit level involved eight parties, including the Maoists, and will be followed by a comprehensive peace accord between the government and the rebels within a week that will secure a commitment from the Maoists on ending abduction, torture, extortion and display of arms in public places.

The Maoists are likely to join the interim government with at least five members in the proposed 23-member council of ministers by December 1. The existing 205-members House of Representatives will be treated as an interim parliament and its size increased to 330 to let Maoists nominate 73 members from their party. The remaining will let the smaller parties add to their presence.

The proposed constituent assembly will have 409 members — the existing 205 seats to be filled through first-past-the-post system and the remaining through a proportional representative system.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister K P Oli, in-charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was called back from Delhi to give final shape to the peace process. Official sources said that Oli has been asked to immediately nominate 15 ambassadors as these posts have been vacant for more than five months now.

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