What's next? From the looks of the situation, more deterioration. The buffer space for civilians and humanitarian organisations is being squeezed tighter than before in Nepal. If the king succeeds in opening space for peace talks with the Maoists, he will certainly be hailed by many Nepalis. However, such an occurrance is fanciful. While the Maoists would now negotiate with the king, which they have been demanding, there is little evidence that talks would succeed, considering the degree to which the palace and the Maoists are fighting for conflicting ends. The army seems much more interested in forcing the Maoists to the negotiating table, than in inviting them. Pyar Jung Thapa, RNA Chief of Staff, was quoted on 4 February, "If the Royal Nepal Army succeeds in reducing the military strength of the Maoists, force them into the national mainstream and help His Majesty's Government to resolve the Maoist problem, it's name will be written in Nepal's history in golden letters." He has said also, that without protests in the street, the army can focus solely on bringing the Maoists to the negotiating table or into the political mainstream. India has expressed strong doubts about the army's ability to make significant progress. Given the ability of the army to force the rebels to the negotiating table to date, it seems clear the army is focused on a faulty approach.