Nepal's government says it will push ahead with planned parliamentary elections even if Maoist rebels do not come the negotiating table by January 13.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba told journalists in Kathmandu Thursday it is their last chance to present their demands for ending their decades-long violent campaign.
He said he is determined to set the process for holding parliamentary elections in motion with or without the rebels' participation.
There was no immediate comment from the guerrillas, who have demanded United Nations or an international human rights group mediate the talks with Kathmandu.
Violence has surged since peace talks failed last year after the Maoists demanded election of a special assembly to decide the future of the monarchy. The rebels want to replace the constitutional monarchy with a communist state.
Some information for this story provided by AFP and Reuters.