KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Maoist rebels threw their support on Wednesday behind a decision by seven mainstream opposition parties to form a united front to push for a return to democracy following King Gyanendra’s seizure of power. “Our party regards the announcement as a forward-looking move... and decides to extend all possible help to their joint movement,” Maoist chief Prachanda said in a statement e-mailed to media outlets.

A source close to the rebels said the message was authentic. Gyanendra sacked the coalition government and took power February 1 in what he said was a move to tackle the increasingly deadly revolt.

In a rare show of solidarity on Sunday, the seven parties called for the restoration of democracy and agreed to adopt “all democratic options including a constituent assembly election and all democratic processes to solve the present conflict.”

The Maoists have consistently demanded polls for a constituent assembly to draft a fresh constitution setting out a new political framework as well as deciding on the future of the king.

“The parties’ readiness to go to the extent of constituent assembly... is a positive sign for finding a political way out,” said Prachanda, who uses only one name.

The mainstream parties have consistently refused to ally with the Maoists until they renounce violence.

The seven parties who signed the agreement incude the Nepali Congress and Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist. The Maoists have been fighting for the past nine years to topple the monarchy and install a communist republic in a conflict that has claimed over 11,000 lives.

But they have said they would respect whatever decisions the constituent assembly reaches including any moves to keep the monarchy. The Maoist statement came after a senior US diplomat urged King Gyanendra and the political parties to bury the hatchet and concentrate on tackling the insurgency.

“The threat is so large it’s time for political parties and the palace to move forward together,” Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca said at the end of a three-day trip.—AFP