Kathmandu, August 3:

The Maoists and the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) should undertake Confidence-Building Measures (CBM) to pave the way for a trouble-free arms management process, leaders of different political parties said today.

Stating that the Maoists and the seven parties do not trust each other, Arjun Narsingh KC, a central member of the Nepali Congress, said: “Trust-building is the need of the hour.”

KC was addressing an interaction on “Arms Management and the Questions Being Raised in the House of Representatives”.

“Violating the 25-point code of conduct and the 12-point agreement, the Maoists have been extorting money from businessmen and industries,” KC said, adding, “They have not returned land and assets of our leaders and cadres and not refrained from abductions.”

“While the Maoists fear the Nepali Army may make unwanted moves, the seven parties fear they might be displaced by the Maoists,” he said. “Building trust between the seven parties and Maoists is the most important issue of the day,” said Yubaraj Gyawali, a standing committee member of the CPN-UML.

Gyawali termed the initiation of talks between between Prachanda, Madhav Kumar Nepal and PM Girija Prasad Koirala “a positive development”.

“We should treat the Maoists and their armies as our friends, not rivals,” he said. “The Maoist army and its arms should be separated during elections to a Constituent Assembly. Their arms can be locked both by themselves and the United Nations for monitoring,” he said. Vice-president of the Janamorcha Nepal Pari Thapa said arms management process should begin by confining the Nepali army within their barracks and the Maoist army in temporary camps.