Monday, June 20 2005 11:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal's Maoist rebels today (Jun 20, 2005) said they will not target civilians and political workers, responding positively to a call by the seven-party alliance to help restore peace and democracy in the Kingdom.

"The CPN-Maoists has taken positively the call made by the seven party alliance to restore peace and establish complete democracy. The party has given special instruction to all its cadres to stop targeting civilians and party workers," top Maoist leader Prachanda said in a statement e-mailed to various newspapers in Kathmandu.

"We have asked them (cadres) to halt physical attack on unarmed people," he said.

The Maoists attack on two passenger buses earlier this month (June), which left dozens of people dead in Chitawan and Kavre district invited widespread criticism.

The Maoist leader also welcomed the decision of the alliance to boycott municipality elections and oppose political appointment of King's loyalists to the vacant post of the District Development Committee.

Terming as positive the alliance's demand for an interim Government and Constituent Assembly election, he said, "The Maoists would strongly support and back the decision of the alliance to boycott the polls and expose the political appointments made by the Government".

The alliance issued a statement on Saturday (Jun 18, 2005) asking the Maoists to enter mainstream politics by abandoning the path of violence and terror and stop targeting civilians and party workers.