Kathmandu: A top UN official arrived here
on Friday to take stock of the derailed peace process, ahead of
next month`s planed withdrawal of the UNMIN, which is tasked
to monitor the arms and the army of the Maoists and the Nepal
military.
B. Lynn Pascoe, United Nations Under Secretary General
for Political Affairs, met top leaders, including President
Ram Baran Yadav and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to discuss
the political developments in the country, including the
smooth withdrawal of the United Nations Mission in Nepal
(UNMIN) on January 15 next year.
The President expressed the hope that UN would
continue to support Nepal`s peace process even after the
departure of UN body. Yadav assured Pascoe that the peace
process will conclude with consensus of the political parties,
according to the President`s Press Advisor Rajendra Dahal.
Pascoe underlined the commitment of the UN to Nepal`s
peace process. He said the world body would continue to extend
support for the peace process even after the departure of
UNMIN.
Pascoe said the peace process will be completed if the
political parties become serious towards it.
He is also scheduled to meet Maoist chairman
Prachanda, Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala, Speaker
Subas Nemwang and leaders of Madhesi political parties.
Pascoe will hold separate consultation with
representatives of the international community, including
ambassadors of the USA, UK, China, India, Australia, France
and European High Commission.
According to UNMIN, Pascoe seeks to underline the
importance of a consensus among the political parties to
swiftly implement the agreements on integration and
rehabilitation of Maoist combatants housed in UN-monitored
camps.
The standoff over the integration of the former
guerrillas has delayed the peace process.
Pascoe was in India before arriving in Kathmandu where
he discussed Nepal`s peace process with Indian officials.
Pascoe said he held talks on the peace process with the Indian
officials.
Pascoe’s visit comes ahead of the withdrawal of UNMIN
after the expiry of its mandate in mid-January. Pascoe
will update the Security Council on the status of the peace
process following his visit to the country.
The world body established the United Nations Mission
in Nepal (UNMIN) as a special political mission in 2007 with a
mandate to manage the arms and armed personnel of the Maoists
and the Nepal Army. UN General Secretary Ban-Ki-Moon earlier expressed
concern over the failure of the political parties to break the
deadlock stalling the peace process which began in 2006 with
the end of the decade-long Maoists insurgency.
In his report to the UNSC last year, the UN chief was
concerned over the failure to implement the major commitments
of the peace pact and the peace process.
The country has been in a political limbo since the
June 30 resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Despite a series of run-off polls, the parliament has
failed to elect a new leader and put in place a government. It
has stalled the country`s peace process and pushed the nation
on the brink of financial crisis.
PTI
