Nepal's government and Maoist rebels began their first peace talks in nearly three years today in a bid to end a decade-long insurgency that has cost thousands of lives.
"We will discuss everything that is of interest to Nepal and its people," Home Minister Krishna Prasad Situala said before entering the talks as head of a three-member government team. "I am 100 per cent confident that the talks will be successful."
Shortly after he spoke, the three-man Maoist team arrived at at the Gokarna Forest Golf Resort and Spa, just outside the capital, Kathmandu, but declined to talk to reporters.
Earlier, Maoist negotiator Dev Gurung had welcomed yesterday's cabinet decision to free hundreds of jailed rebels and investigate cases of people reported to have disappeared after being detained by security forces.
The first round of talks is supposed to prepare the ground for a meeting between rebel chief Prachanda and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
Hopes for an end to Nepal's decade-long insurgency have been raised since a new multiparty government took power in Nepal last month following weeks of street protests against King Gyanendra.
A ceasefire was agreed earlier this month. Nepal's new parliament has already agreed to a key rebel demand - the holding of elections for a special assembly to draft a new constitution and decide the future of the monarchy. Both sides are preparing for the vote but have fixed no date.
The insurgency has killed more than 13,000 lives and wrecked the economy of the poor Himalayan country. Previous peace talks failed in 2001 and 2003.