Nepal cease-fire declared
Suman Pradhan
KATHMANDU, Nepal (CNN) -- Nepal's government and Maoist rebels have reached a cease-fire agreement, temporarily ending a vicious insurgency that has claimed more than 7,200 lives.
Minister for Information and Communication Ramesh Nath Pandey said the government had agreed to a Maoist ceasefire proposal, and hostilities will cease immediately.
The Maoists have been fighting since 1996 to turn the Himalayan kingdom into a republican state.
"The government wishes that all problems be solved through dialogue," Pandey said after an emergency Cabinet meeting late Wednesday. "We will resolve our differences on the basis of patriotism and according to monarchical culture."
The minister said that the Cabinet had decided to withdraw the "terrorist" tag attached to the Maoists in November 2001, and also had withdrawn monetary rewards put on the heads of top Maoist leaders.
In addition, Pandey said the government has decided to ask Interpol to withdraw the international arrest warrants issued against top Maoist leaders.
"Peace talks will begin soon now," the minister said.
The government's swift declaration of the cease-fire came just hours after the top Maoist leader, who goes by the name of "Comrade Prachanda," issued a statement late Wednesday announcing the group was ceasing all military actions since the government had agreed to various points in secret talks Tuesday.
"We are now ready for a round-table conference with all political forces in the country, (to) discuss the issues of an interim government and the election of a constituent assembly," Prachanda said.
The swiftly occurring developments in Nepal have taken many here by surprise, especially since suspected rebels upped the ante early this week when they killed Nepal's top paramilitary officer.
