Nepal: Parties to join hands with Maoists to abolish monarchy

Kathmandu (dpa) - Seven Nepalese political parties protesting King Gyanendra's direct rule agreed Tuesday to work with the Maoists to abolish the monarchy and restore ''full democracy'' in the country.
This was disclosed in a statement issued after a meeting of the top leaders of the seven parties in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu.

The Maoists, who have been waging a ten-year armed insurgency to overthrow the monarchy, confirmed in a statement that they have reached a 12-point agreement with the seven political parties.

The main thrust of the agreement is the formation of an interim government to hold elections to a constituent assembly.

The Maoists are said to be hoping to dislodge the monarchy by getting those who oppose it elected to the assembly.

According to the 12-point agreement, the Maoists plan to give up arms to the U.N. or another ''reliable international supervision agency'' and allow political parties to carry out their activities in their areas of control or influence.

The Maoist statement said the agreement was reached after negotiations with the seven parties but it does not say where or when the negotiations took place.

The Nepalese media said the leaders of the seven political parties met the Maoists in New Delhi last week where Indian diplomacy is reported to have led to the agreement.

The agreement comes at a time when Gyanendra, who seized power February 1, is out of the country on a prolonged trip of African countries.

Some political analysts say that the agreement, if honestly carried out, could end the present political crisis in Nepal and put an end to the ten years of bloody conflict that has claimed about 13,000 lives. Other political analysts, however, say that the agreement could result in a two-sided conflict that could lead to civil war.

Among the seven political parties arrayed against Gyanendra, the Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress Democratic and the communist United Marxist Leninists are the only three parties recognized as national parties by the election commission as they secured more than 3 per cent of the votes in the last elections.

The other four parties that make up the seven-party alliance do not rank as national parties. dpa sb wjh