Nepali peace talks based on give-and-take principle: PM

Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Saturday said that the government-guerrilla peace talks are stuck on the issues of monarchy and separating arms from the guerrillas.

Talking to media persons at his hometown residence before returning to the capital from Biratnagar in eastern Nepal, Koirala said that sticking points of the peace talks are not "whether to maintain monarchy or not but what to do with the monarchy" and modalities of separating the guerrilla's army from their arms.

Koirala had gone to his hometown Biratnagar, some 400 east of Kathmandu, five days ago for a rest.

According to a leading news media group's website, eKantipur. com report, Koirala said that he was continuously in touch with the leaders in Kathmandu and that peace talks will resume soon after his arrival in the capital.

Stating that the peace talks this time will reach a decisive conclusion once the arms management issue is solved, Koirala said, "A decision will soon be made regarding the (arms management) issue. Talks are based on give-and-take principle."

If the guerrillas too come forward complying with the same principle, everything will be resolved soon, he added.

Koirala expressed his optimism that this time around, the peace talks would give an outlet to all the problems, adding, "The 12- year-long problem cannot be resolved in a trice. It might get delayed by two-four days but solutions to all the problems will definitely come."

Koirala also informed that the disagreement is hovering around "what to do with the monarchy."

He said that the debate is placed at whether to take a verbal decision or formulate a republican front or let elections to a Constituent Assembly (CA) decide the monarchy's fate.

Koirala also put forward his stance that if the CA elections are given a chance to decide the fate of the monarchy, nobody can raise doubts.

"All the procedures will be completed if the position of monarchy is decided through CA elections," Koirala said, adding, " If a plebiscite is chosen as the deciding factor for the king's position, a new debate might again arise."

Talking about the king's property, Koirala said, "Except King Gyanendra's personal property, rest will be nationalized. Late King Birendra's property will be transferred to a trust and a provision will be formulated so that the prime minister will head the trust."

Source: Xinhua