Kathmandu A spokesman for the Maoists in Nepal has said that the rebels have no intention at present to disarm, even though their leadership has decided to join the political mainstream.
Krishna Bahadur Mahara was quoted by the BBC as saying on Wednesday that the Maoists would wait for the elections to take place and for the creation of an acceptable Constitution before thinking about downing their arms.
Considered a close confidant of Maoist leader Prachanda, Mahara was the first to initiate contact with the Government in Kathmandu.
He said that the rebels were ready to demobilise, but not ready to disarm.
Mahara's statement came a day after Nepal's home minister had said that the government would not share power with the rebels until they had given up their weapons.
Both the sides had clinched a landmark power-sharing deal last week.
As part of the agreement, the government said that it would dissolve parliament and set up an interim government that would include the Maoists.
The Seven Party Alliance (SPA) Government headed by Prime Minister G P Koirala and the Maoists began peace talks in May on resolving the decade-long Maoist insurgency that has left 13,000 people dead.
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