Nepal objects to Ban’s report at Security Council

• • 'Parties, parliament to decide the nature of govt'

• 'No parity between national and Maoist armies'

KESHAV P. KOIRALA

References in the report implying parity between the regular national army and the former rebel combatants is not likely to assist a positive outcome in the ongoing negotiations on the future of the cantonments

KATHMANDU, NOV 07 - Nepal has objected to the United Nations General-Secretary Ban Ki-moon’s recent report on Nepal that conspicuously stressed on the need for a national unity government in the country. Also, it has presented reservation over the comparison between the national army and the Maoist army, and said the references in the report that insinuated at the functional equality between armies were not fair.

Responding to Ban’s recent report on UN’s support to the peace process in Nepal and the call for a national unity government, Permanent Representative of Nepal at the Security Council Madhu Raman Acharya on Friday said, “The constituent parties of the government are of the view that it is up to the parties and the sovereign legislature in Nepal to decide on the type of the government and that they are always open to include all the parties in the government.” He added that the parties have specifically asked the UCPN (Maoist) to join the coalition.

The 22 parties in the ruling coalition have already objected to the UNSG's statement, and said that it was an intervention in the internal affairs of a sovereign country.

Addressing the UNSC at the UN headquarters in New York, Ambassador Acharya said that the report would have been more balanced if it had taken into account the sincere efforts made by the government of Nepal in addressing key issues of the peace process and in resolving outstanding issues for creating conducive environment for making further progress thereof.

“It is the view of the government that the references in the report implying parity between the regular national army and the former rebel combatants living in the UN monitored cantonments, who may have to be either integrated in the security forces or rehabilitated in the society and families, is not likely to assist a positive outcome in the ongoing negotiations on the future of the cantonments,” he said.

Notwithstanding some occasional setbacks, he claimed, the ongoing peace process has made remarkable achievements and has completed several important milestones.

He expressed confidence that the special committee formed to look after the integration of Maoist combatants and its technical committee formed would complete the remaining task of reaching an agreement on all issues related to the future of the cantonments.

He said Nepal intends to conclude the tasks of UNMIN by Jan. 30, 2010 till when the UN Mission is mandated to remain in Nepal. “For that, the government of Nepal is committed doing everything including in reaching necessary political agreements required for the logical conclusion of the peace process.”

Acharya expressed the belief that the House obstruction and the present political deadlock in the country will be resolved soon. “…senior political leaders of major political parties are talking to each other and it is expected that they will soon reach an agreement to resolve the current impasse in the legislative parliament and to end the street agitation so that they would be able to move forward in the spirit of dialogue and consensus stipulated in the peace agreements.”

'Stop preaching'

Meanwhile, Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel, who is also the NC Vice-President, today charged that UNMIN has been influenced by the Maoists, and asked the UN to stop preaching and intervening in Nepal's internal affairs.

Speaking at a programme organised in the capital today, Poudel claimed that the UNMIN failed to properly carry out the verification and monitoring of the Maoist combatants. He, however, opined that the UN Mission in Nepal should not return now. "But it should work more responsibly."