KATHMANDU -- The leader of Maoist rebels fighting to overthrow Nepal's constitutional monarchy said government troops should be ordered back to barracks before talks start to end the rebels' seven-year war, Reuters reported.

Rebel leader Prachanda told the **Rajdhani** newspaper in an interview he also wanted the release of jailed rebels "to create a credible atmosphere for talks" and information about rebels who had disappeared from custody.

"Let the army return to the barracks and end unnecessary search operations ... and a code of conduct acceptable to both sides should be developed for talks," the rebel leader told the newspaper in the interview published on Friday.

The rebels and the government agreed last month to a cease-fire and offered to meet to try to end the revolt that has claimed more than 7,200 lives since 1996 and crippled Nepal's aid-dependent economy.

Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, also said political parties and members of the intellectual community should be involved in the talks.

The Maoists have named a five-member negotiating team but its leaders, who have been in hiding since the revolt began, have yet to appear in public. The newspaper did not say where the interview with Prachanda took place.

The government has named Physical Planning and Works Minister Narayan Singh Pun as the coordinator for talks but fixed no date for a meeting.

The rebels, inspired by the revolutionary ideas of the late Chinese communist leader Mao Zedong, have vowed to set up a one-party communist republic.