Nepal's multi-party government and Maoist rebels signed a landmark peace accord on Tuesday that declared a formal end to a decade-old civil war that has killed more than 13,000 people.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist rebel leader Prachanda signed the deal, which comes seven months after King Gyanendra surrendered power to political parties following weeks of often violent street protests.
The deal paves the way for the rebels to surrender their weapons and be confined to 28 UN-monitored camps in the run-up to elections for an assembly that will draft a new constitution and decide the future of the monarchy.
In return, the state army will remain in barracks, and an equal number of its arms will be locked up in the run-up to the assembly election - meant to be held by June 2007.
The deal also clears the way for the insurgents to join an interim government that will oversee the elections, and for the rebels to take seats with elected politicians in an interim parliament.
The rebels have been fighting to abolish Nepal's monarchy, which is over 200 years old, and say the assembly vote satisfies their key demand. They have vowed to honour the outcome even if the assembly decides to maintain a ceremonial monarch.
The rebels and government have observed a ceasefire for more than six months, but human rights groups say extortion and conscription by the rebels have continued.