Kathmandu, Nepal (BBN)– The United Nations envoy to Nepal has called on all sides to redouble their efforts to complete the remaining tasks under the country’s stalled peace process before the world body’s mission in the country wraps up its work next year.
“The Security Council’s decision that UNMIN’s mandate will terminate on 15 January creates even greater expectations that the parties will make rapid and significant headway,” Karin Landgren, Representative of the Secretary-General for Nepal and head of UNMIN, told a press in the capital, Kathmandu on Wednesday.
Last week the Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) one last time, until 15 January 2011, after the country’s opposing political groups reached agreement on completing the final tasks of the peace process by that date.
UNMIN was established in 2007, one year after the Government and the Maoists signed a peace pact bringing an end to a decade-long conflict that claimed some 13,000 lives. Its mandate includes monitoring the management of arms and armed personnel of both the Maoists and the Nepal Army, as well as in assisting in monitoring ceasefire arrangements.
Outstanding tasks in the peace process include completing the draft of the new constitution and resolving the future of the Nepal Army and the Maoist Army. Among the other challenges are continued insecurity and lack of progress in addressing impunity for human rights violations.
Ms. Landgren welcomed the agreement reached in recent days on completing the remaining tasks under the peace process, as well as efforts by the parties to move forward with electing a prime minister.
BBN/SI/AD-23Sept10-11:35 am (BST)
