Sunday, January 15 2006 15:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu:: Shaken by the killing of 13 policemen by Maoists, Nepal's major political parties have blamed the Royal Government for escalating violence in the country and urged it to initiate peace talks with the rebels.

"The King should take responsibility for the escalation of violence as the Royal government has failed to reciprocate the Maoists' ceasefire," Nepali Congress general secretary Ramchandra Poudyal told sources.

"By reaching an understanding with the Maoists we had made the Maoists agree to the peace process and multiparty democracy, but the palace did not show any interest to resume peace, which is causing bloodshed in the country," he said.

13 policemen were killed in Maoists' attacks at two police posts yesterday (Jan 14, 2006).

Nepali Congress Democratic spokesman Minendra Rijal said that the incident shows the urgency to move ahead peace initiative as violence cannot solve any problem and save democracy.

"The present Government wants to prolong its grip in power and it doesn't have any interest to end violence, to bring peace and restore democracy," he said.

"I urge international community to exert sufficient pressure upon the government to initiate peace process for the resolution of the current political crisis facing the country," he said.

He also cautioned the Maoists saying that resumption of violence will only strengthen autocratic forces. The election process should immediately be stopped and peace initiative should re-start, he said.

This is for the first time the Maoists have killed so many policemen in the capital, just three weeks ahead of the Municipal polls.