Nepali Maoists offer roadmap for peace

The new government, meanwhile arrested several ministers from King Gyanendra's ousted regime, and suspended police and intelligence chiefs.

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

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.

The insurgents played a major role in last month's protests against Gyanendra's authoritarian rule. Now they appear headed for the political mainstream after a decade-long insurgency that has killed 13,000 people.

The rebels and the new government have already agreed to a ceasefire and named peace negotiators, points reiterated in Prachanda's plan. The two sides also agree on several other points in the plan, including the need to dissolve parliament and the constitution and create an interim constitution and government.

The plans also calls for 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 arrests of five ministers who served under Gyanendra were announced on state radio Friday, and came as the government raised the spectre of royalist elements trying to thwart its 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.

Gyanendra seized power in February 2005 after firing the prime minister. Last month's unrest forced him to relinguish direct rule and reinstate parliament. He also appointed a prime minister selected by the political parties behind the protests.