The Himalayan Times Online 

Kathmandu, October 

The much-awaited and crucial summit peace talks between the government constituents — the seven-party alliance — and Maoists began at PM Girija Prasad Koirala’s official residence at Baluwatar at around 9am this morning. 

The talks are expected to discuss all the outstanding issues including arms management, the fate of monarchy, interim statute, interim parliament and government and dates of elections to a constituent assembly elections. The talks are also expected to discuss the issues of people displaces due to Maoist insurgence, property seized by the Maoists and other issues. The PM had two days ago hinted at the possibility of extension of summit talks so as to find a solution to all the outstanding differences between the government and Maoists. 

The talks began amidst controversy whether the talks were summit talks or they were just high-level talks with some Maoist leaders saying they were only high-level talks and some of the government constituents including CPN-UML saying they were really summit talks. 

Leaders of all eight parties, including the Maoists, had entered the talks venue by 9am, even though the talks were scheduled to begin at 8 am. All other leaders had reached the PM residence by 8:30 am except NC-D president Sher Bahadur Deuba who reached there at 8:45 am and Maoist chairman Prachanda who reached there at 9am. Despite earlier information that 10 members from each party would take part in the talks, only four to eight from each party were seen entering the venue. Besides, the leaders of all the parties, the members of both the government and Maoist talks team members have also been taking part in the talks. 

The Maoists team was lead by party chairman Prachanda. Senior Maoist leaders Baburam Bhattarai and Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal have also been taking part in the talks. The Maoist leaders reached the venue along with their own security. 

Before entering the PM residence, while the leaders of CPN-UML expressed hopes that the talks will be successful, the Maoist leaders preferred not to talk to journalists. Maoist supremo Prachanda, after holding preparatory talks with other parties yesterday, had said the talks were moving in the right direction. 

Security around the PM residence was tight. Nobody except the talks participants was allowed to enter the building. Even the state-owned Nepal Television and Rastriya Samachar Samiti journalists were not allowed to enter the talks venue. Many national and international journalists have crowded the entrance of the PM residence. Representatives of many civil society organizations were seen sitting in in front of the PM residence along with banners to press both the sides to take the talks towards a logical conclusion and thereby ensuring long lasting peace in the country.