Peace In Nepal?

Nepal's communist rebel chief issued a roadmap Saturday for peace that seeks the release of political prisoners, the dissolution of Parliament and the Constitution and the restructuring of the national army.

Nepal's new government, meanwhile, said it has launched a crackdown on anti-democracy conspirators, arresting several ministers from King Gyanendra's ousted regime, and suspending police and intelligence chiefs.

Rebel chief Prachanda said in a statement that he would participate in direct talks with the government after his team of three negotiators carried out a preliminary dialogue with the government.

An associate of Prachanda had announced his participation Friday, hours after Deputy Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli told The Associated Press that negotiations would be ineffective without him.

Prachanda's roadmap reiterates several of the points already agreed upon between the Maoists and the seven political parties that led a national movement to end Gyanendra's authoritarian rule last month.

The roadmap lists 10 points, of which several - including a cease-fire and the naming of peace negotiators - have already been accomplished. The others include dissolving Parliament and the Constitution; creating an interim constitution and government, determining voting areas, holding constituent assembly elections under international supervision, and "restructuring of the state" to include both the rebels and the royal army.

The new government has promised to try to bring Maoist rebels into the political mainstream after a decade-long insurgency that has killed 13,000 people.

Some of that has already been promised by the government. Oli told The AP on Friday that he believed Nepal would have a constituent assembly within 12 months and a new constitution by November 2007.

The United Nations has offered to help in planning and conducting constituent assembly elections, and in writing the constitution.

The arrests of five ministers who served under Gyanendra were announced on state radio Friday, and came as the new government raised the specter of royalist elements trying to thwart the gains made after weeks of fierce nationwide protests last month that forced the king to relinquish direct rule.

"We are keeping a close watch on the people who are conspiring against [the] democracy system and the recent changes," said Home Minister Krishna Sitaula. "We will go after these people and not spare them."

He did not give further details on what steps would be taken.

The action against the former ministers and the officers were recommended by a judicial commission that is investigating them and other people in the former regime for allegedly ordering or supporting human rights abuses during the demonstrations.

Gyanendra seized power in February 2005 after sacking the prime minister.

After weeks of anti-monarchy protests last month, Gyanendra reinstated Parliament. He also appointed a prime minister selected by the political parties.

The new government has matched the rebels' unilateral three-month cease-fire and dropped terrorism charges against the guerrillas. However, sporadic rebel attacks have continued.