KATHMANDU - Nepalâs major political parties have agreed to work with Maoist rebels to abolish the monarchy and restore democracy if the insurgents first disarm, a former prime minister said on Tuesday.The agreement, announced by Girija Prasad Koirala, is the first between the rebels and an alliance of seven political parties since King Gyanendra sacked a coalition government in February and assumed power. âThe countryâs seven agitating party alliance and the Maoists have agreed to a 12-point agenda to establish full-fledged democracy and launch a movement to end the tyrannical monarchy and hold constituent assembly elections under UN supervision,â Koirala told a press conference.
âHowever the two sides will not launch the joint movement until the Maoists surrender their arms,â said Koirala, who leads the Nepali Congress, the largest party, and has been premier of the Himalayan kingdom four times.
| That should take a while. |
âThe tie-up is a natural course of action because the king has not sought to reconcile with political parties,â said senior human rights leader Padma Ratna Tuladhar, who has led government negotiations with the Maoists in the past. âThe political leaders are joining hands with the Maoists because the king has sidelined the parties.â
| And boy howdy, the political leaders are in for a surprise. |