Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist supreme commander Prachanda (Pushpa Kamal Dahal) signed a comprehensive peace agreement Tuesday in Kathmandu, formally concluding 11 years of armed conflict. The signing, attended by diplomats, journalists, and citizens, was delayed roughly two hours and had originally been scheduled for 16 November before disagreements over specific clauses pushed it back further.
The pact, containing 10 main clauses and numerous sub-clauses, converts the existing ceasefire into a permanent one and requires the Maoists to dismantle their parallel governing structures. Both sides committed to ending impunity, establishing local peace councils, and upholding internationally recognized human rights, including press freedom.
The agreement also calls for nationalizing properties held by the late King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, as well as palaces and land that King Gyanendra acquired through his reign. Public display or carrying of arms will be subject to prosecution under existing law.
The deal opens the path for a three-way arrangement among the government, the Maoists, and the United Nations to manage rebel weapons. Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula described the accord as reflecting the population's wish for lasting peace.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in November 2006, in its own words.