Tuesday, May 30 2006 09:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal's Parliament yesterday (May 29,2006) welcomed the 25-point code of conduct for a ceasefire with Maoists, saying it would help check violence during the peace process aimed at ending the decade-long insurgency as a rebel leader called for sweeping reforms in the country.

The Government last month reciprocated the Maoists' ceasefire to facilitate the peace process to establish durable peace in the country.

The Parliament yesterday discussed and welcomed the code of conduct with some recommendations, said lawmaker Ramchandra Poudyal, who is also the Nepali Congress general secretary.

"The code of conduct is a welcome move and now the Maoists must end all forms of violence as they have entered into the process of political mainstream," he said.

It is not sufficient to agree on the code of conduct, it is equally necessary for both sides to sign a ceasefire agreement and human rights declaration to end all types of violence during the peace process, he said.

While presenting the code to the 205-member parliament, Home minister Krishna Sitoula called on the Maoists to act in good faith.

"I urge the Maoists to present themselves with the utmost sincerity in the implementation of the code of conduct," he said.

The 25-point code of conduct calls on both sides to end military action, stop extortion, conduct programmes without carrying arms and have national and international monitoring teams to supervise the ceasefire.