The government of Nepal's peace package put before Maoist rebel leadership was praised by officials from the US, the UK, and India, a newspaper report said today.

The English-language daily Kathmandu Post reported the three governments welcomed the Nepal's proposal as "a positive step" forward towards finding a peaceful resolution of the seven-year-old conflict.

"Now there is a document which could form the basis for future understanding between the two sides," India's ambassador to Nepal Shyam Saran was quoted as saying.

According to the newspaper, the strongest endorsement of the government stand came from the United States, which expressed full "agreement" with the three main points put forward.

Constance Colding Jones, public affairs officer of the US embassy, said, "We are in full agreement with the three main points - sovereignty of the people, multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy - on which the government has reiterated its commitment".

The British government, according to the newspaper, "warmly welcomed both the new round of negotiations, and the presentation of a comprehensive position by the Nepalese government".

"The UK government has long believed that, if these negotiations are to secure a lasting peace in Nepal, then they must address a wide range of socioeconomic problems, in addition to tackling the constitutional and security issues," a statement issued by the British embassy said.

It called upon all sides to sign, without further delay, the human rights accord, adding the initiative, proposed by Nepal's National Human Rights Commission, enjoyed the wide support of the political parties, lawyers, journalists, human rights activists and civil society in the Himalayan nation.

The third round of the government-Maoist peace talks – which began in Nepalgunj, about 400 km west of the capital, on Sunday - were scheduled to resume later today.

The resumed talks are being held at the Maoist stronghold of Purandhara in Dang district, about 100 km east of Nepalgunj, where the government negotiating team is based.

In the two-hour-long talks Monday, delayed by bad weather, the government side asked the Maoists to make public the whereabouts of 233 people said to be in the Maoist "custody".

The government side also asked the Maoists to abide by the code of conduct, and desist from collecting forcible "donations".

Chief government negotiator - Finance Minister Prakash Chandra Lohani - told a TV news channel, the government asked the Maoists to stop harassing German consultants and contractors building the Middle Marsyangdi hydroelectric project.

Lohani said the German government had objected to the "collection of donations" at the project site.

The Maoists and the government negotiators agreed yesterday they would continue discussions on six political issues.

The talks due to resume today could be delayed again because continuing bad weather conditions could delay the departure of the government talks team to the venue. – Sapa-DPA.