The signing of the historic peace accord was put off as the two sides were still engaged in sorting out differences on some issues.
Updated at 8.25
KATHMANDU: The Nepal government and the Maoist rebels on Thursday deferred till next week the signing of the landmark peace accord to end the decade-old insurgency, as the two sides were still engaged in sorting out some issues.
The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between Nepal government and the Maoists, scheduled for today, would now take place on November 21, when the interim Constitution would be finalised, Home Minister and talks coordinator Krishna Sitoula said.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chief Prachanda met at Baluwatar and decided that the agreement would be signed on November 21 as more time was needed for "further homework."
Prachanda is leaving for Delhi on Friday to attend an international meet.
The accord will be signed after Prachanda returns from Delhi, Sitoula said.
He said there is some differences between the government and the Maoists on the accord and they are very close to an agreement.
Koirala and Prachanda would put their signature on the accord that would formally end the ten-year long civil war and bring about lasting peace in the Himalayan nation.
Earlier, the Nepali Congress General Secretary Ramchandra Poudyal, who is the also the convener of the committee to draft the accord, said there were still certain differences between the government and the Maoists on certain issues.
The signing of the peace accord as per the November 8 agreement was postponed as it was felt that more time was needed for doing further homework, Poudyal said.
Top leaders of the seven-party alliance and the rebels signed a historic deal on November 8 to bring the Maoists to mainstream politics and decided to constitute a 330-member Interim Parliament, form an Interim Government inclusive of the Maoists and hold elections for a 425-member Constituent Assembly by June 2007 to draft a new Constitution.
The deal would put a stop to Maoists' acts of extortion, intimidation, recruiting new soldiers, issuing threats and formally put an end to the 10-year-long insurgency. The peace accord also has provisions for punishments if any one breaches it.
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