Sunday, October 5, 2008

PM directs govt's talk team to reach out to armed Terai groups immediately



Prime Minister Prachanda has directed the government's talk team headed by peace minister Janardan Sharma to initiate the dialogue process with armed insurgent groups operating in Terai.

The PM gave this direction during a meeting with minister Sharma in Baluwatar Sunday morning. Sharma informed the PM that preparations were underway to bring the armed groups to the negotiating table "within 2-3 days".

A cabinet meeting had on Friday formed the three-member talk team. Local development minister Ram Chandra Jha and education minister Renu Yadav are other members of the talk team.

The government's initiative for talks comes following declaration of ceasefire by some of the armed groups in view of Dashain festival. While declaring ceasefire they also stated that they were ready for talks, but it is not known if the government will hold separate talks with all of them. Around a dozen armed groups had met in Indian state of Bihar and agreed to come under a single organisation.

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