Nepal: The Maoists, the Military and the Monarch

Nepal's Maoists warned Aug. 7 that peace talks with the seven-party alliance are in danger of collapsing over the issues of disarmament and the king's future role in Nepal's government. The Maoists cannot afford to give up their arms, and will likely engage in economic blockades until they are certain the king can no longer use the influence he wields in the military to threaten them.