NEPAL'S MAOIST REBELS SAY THEY WILL EXTEND A THREE-MONTH-OLD CEASEFIRE WITH THE GOVERNMENT THAT IS DUE TO END THIS WEEK, BUT ACCUSED THE RULING COALITION OF FAILING TO PUSH THE PACE OF PEACE TALKS, REUTERS REPORTED. "THE EXTENSION OF THE CEASEFIRE WILL BE ANNOUNCED BEFORE IT EXPIRES," SAID KRISHNA BAHADUR MAHARA, WHO HAS LED THE REBELS IN TALKS WITH THE MULTI-PARTY GOVERNMENT WHICH CAME TO POWER AFTER KING GYANENDRA GAVE UP HIS ABSOLUTE RULE IN APRIL. THE REBELS HAD DECLARED THEIR TRUCE IN LATE APRIL WHICH WAS SOON MATCHED BY AN UNILATERAL CEASEFIRE BY THE GOVERNMENT. THE TRUCE ENDS AT MIDNIGHT (1815 GMT) ON FRIDAY. THE COMMENTS BY MAHARA CAME AS A UNITED NATIONS MISSION WAS DUE TO ARRIVE IN THE NEPALI CAPITAL LATER ON THURSDAY TO ASSESS WAYS OF HELPING THE PEACE PROCESS. THE MAOISTS, WHO BACKED VIOLENT STREET PROTESTS THAT FORCED THE MONARCH TO CEDE POWER, ARE DEMANDING AN IMMEDIATE DISSOLUTION OF THE REINSTATED PARLIAMENT AND THE FORMATION OF AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD INCLUDE THEM. THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT WOULD THEN SUPERVISE ELECTIONS NEXT YEAR FOR A SPECIAL ASSEMBLY TO DECIDE THE FUTURE POLITICAL SET UP OF THE HIMALAYAN NATION -- INCLUDING THE FATE OF THE MONARCHY. BUT MAHARA SAID THE GOVERNMENT WAS DRAGGING ITS FEET ON IMPLEMENTING THE POLITICAL ROADMAP AGREED IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR BETWEEN THE REBELS AND THE SEVEN-PARTY ALLIANCE. "POLITICAL PARTIES IN THE GOVERNMENT ARE DIVIDED BETWEEN THOSE WHO WANT PROGRESSIVE CHANGES IN THE COUNTRY AND THOSE WHO WANT THE STATUS QUO," MAHARA SAID. "REAL DEMOCRACY HAS NOT COME TO NEPAL YET AS POLITICAL PARTIES MADE A COMPROMISE WITH THE KING," HE ADDED, REFERRING TO GOVERNMENT LEADERS WHO FAVOUR A CEREMONIAL ROLE FOR THE KING. THE GOVERNMENT WANTS THE REBELS TO GIVE UP ARMS FIRST BEFORE AN INTERIM GOVERNMENT IS FORMED AND HAS ASKED THE UNITED NATIONS TO "DECOMMISSION" THE 36,000-STRONG REBEL FIGHTERS. "WE CAN'T ACCEPT THIS," MAHARA SAID, ADDING THE REBELS WOULD NOT DISARM UNLESS THE STATE ARMY DID SO. "OUR ARMY AND THE GOVERNMENT ARMY MUST BE DISSOLVED AND A NEW NATIONAL ARMY CREATED DRAWING FORCES FROM BOTH SIDES ACCORDING TO A DECISION BY THE (PLANNED) CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY." UNTIL THEN, THE REBELS HAVE SAID THEY ARE PREPARED TO KEEP THEIR ARMS AND FIGHTERS IN CAMPS UNDER U.N. SUPERVISION. THE MAOISTS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING SINCE 1996 TO TOPPLE THE MONARCHY IN A CONFLICT THAT HAS COST MORE THAN 13,000 LIVES.
