New Nepal PM urges Maoist rebels to talk

KATMANDU, April 30: Nepal’s Parliament called on Sunday for elections for an assembly to rewrite the constitution along with a cease-fire with Maoist insurgents, as the new prime minister urged the rebels to sit down for talks.

In a motion that passed unanimously, the legislators also called for negotiations with the Maoists, who played a key role in protests that forced the King to give up power last week and who appear to be headed for a role in the political mainstream.

“The Parliament is now totally committed to holding elections for the constitutional assembly, and the unanimous vote today proved that,” Ram Sharan Mahat, general secretary of Nepali Congress said.

A new constitution was the Maoists’ key demand, he noted, and the passage of the motion was expected to help appease them.

The new Government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who was sworn in earlier in the day, now must spell out the dates and other details of the talks and the constitutional assembly.

Earlier Sunday, the ailing 84-year-old Koirala briefly addressed Parliament—which opened its first session in four years on Friday–calling on the Communist insurgents to come out of the political cold, as he began the challenge of keeping his alliance together and steering Nepal toward peace and democracy.

“I urge the Maoists today to give up violence and come forward for peace talks,” said Koirala.

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