Nepal peace breakthrough welcomed
By Kamesh Thaman,WNS Nepal Correspondent
KATHMANDU - Nepalese politicians and regional giant India have hailed a landmark peace deal with Maoist rebels after 10 years of insurgency in the troubled kingdom. The accord reached at midnight on Tuesday will see the rebels join a transitional government within a month. Nepalese politicians said the deal was historic. India described it as a victory for the people of Nepal.
Under the accord, the rebels' weapons will be put under UN supervision. Another major issue which has caused disagreement - the future of the monarchy - is to be resolved by a constituent assembly to be elected next year. Government negotiator Ram Chandra Poudel said the deal had "opened the doors to build a new Nepal". For the rebels, deputy commander Ananta said it was "a historic agreement". "With this agreement Nepal has entered into a new era," AFP news agency quoted him as saying. People in Kathmandu hoped the accord would bring peace, but some expressed scepticism about the rebels' intentions.
In one suburb, hundreds of people stopped traffic and burned tyres shouting slogans against the rebels.They condemned the rebels for visiting homes demanding that Maoists coming to the city for a rally on Friday be given food and shelter. The rebels deny exerting such pressures. India's foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee said the deal was a "significant step in Nepal's democratic progress". "We expect these decisions to place Nepal on the path of reconciliation, peace, stability and economic recovery," a statement said.
posted by wnsworld @ 8:38 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home