KATMANDU, Nepal -- The government and maoist leaders signed a peace deal yesterday to end a decade-long insurgency, paving the way for the guerrillas to join Nepals interim leadership.

The Nepalese Prime Minister and Maoist rebel leader signed the accord at a Katmandu convention hall.

This ends more than ten years of civil war in the country. The Maoist leader Prachanda quoted that "We will now turn to a campaign of peace and building a new Nepal."

The rebels fight for a communist state has left more than 13,000 people dead before a cease-fire was declared in April. It came after weeks of mass protests that forced King Gyanendra to end his royal dictatorship and restore parliament, which he had suspended 14 months earlier.

The peace deal "has opened the door for a permanent peace, and Nepal has entered a new era," Nepalese Prime Minister Mr. Koirala said.

I am sure all the paddlers like myself, hope that all these years of unrest have finally come to an end, giving the countries people a chance to get on with their lives.