Nepal Rebels Agree to Talks

Maoist rebels agreed Thursday to participate in peace talks with Nepal’s government, calling recent protests that forced King Gyanendra to restore democracy a “historic movement.”

The announcement came a day after Nepal’s new Cabinet matched the Maoists’ declaration of a three-month cease-fire, dropped terrorism charges against rebel leaders and urged them to return to the negotiating table to find ways to end the insurgency that has killed 13,000 people in the last decade.

Rebel chief Prachanda said in a statement e-mailed to news organizations that his group welcomed the Cabinet’s decisions, which included asking Interpol to quash international arrest warrants for the group’s leaders.

“We believe that the talks this time will not be unsuccessful like the two previous ones, because there is a historic movement behind this,” Prachanda said.

The rebels backed a seven-party alliance in three weeks of protests that ended when Gyanendra yielded power. The unrest left 17 protesters dead.

The new government already has met the key rebel demand that crippled peace talks in 2001 and 2003 by making a commitment to rewrite the constitution.

Norwegian Development Minister Erik Solheim, who has been acting as a peace negotiator in Sri Lanka and was wrapping up a three-day visit to Nepal, said the world stood ready to help.

“The international community may play a role in supporting the peace process and development in Nepal,” Solheim said after meeting with the Himalayan nation’s new prime minister, Girija Prasad Koirala.

“But it can never and should never try to take over,” he said. “The government and the Maoists will have to take the driving seat. They will make all the decisions and make all the priorities.”

Washington had criticized a 12-point agreement forged by the rebels and the political parties.

But Prachanda said, “For the sake of peace and democracy in Nepal, we make a special appeal to the people and political forces to raise their voices against American interference and bullying.”