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Nepal gov't, Maoists ink pact for UN mission extension

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

New Delhi, Sept 14, IRNA -- The government of Nepal and the main opposition Maoists Tuesday agreed on extension of the UN Mission in Nepal that was set to expire tomorrow.

In their last-minute pact, the two parties vowed to complete the stalled peace process in the next four months.

The caretaker government led by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and the UCPN-Maoist inked a four-point agreement that pledges to complete the three-year-old peace process by January 14.

The government and the UCPN-Maoist today sent a consensus request to the United Nations to renew the term of the UNMIN for the 'last time' for four months, with continuity for the existing mandate, after the Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' agreed on the four-point agreement yesterday.

'We have agreed primarily to complete the remaining tasks of the peace process between September 17 and January 14 [2011],' according to Maoist Vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha.

The world body established the 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. Its term has so far been renewed six times.

The tenure of UNMIN is set to end on September 15 even as the country has been in political limbo since the June 30 resignation of Nepal .

The rehabilitation and integration of 19,602 Maoist combatants with the army, currently living in 28 UN-supervised camps, is at the heart of the stalled peace process.

Political differences between the major parties and the opposition Maoists had delayed the management of ex-Maoist army personnel which should have been completed much earlier.

The UCPN-Maoist has agreed to let its army come under the command and control of a Special Committee “as soon as” possible besides sharing all details about its combatants with the committee headed by the prime minister, according to Rajan Bhattarai, the prime minister´s Foreign Affairs Advisor.

As per the agreement, the Maoists are to sign three key documents related to the integration and rehabilitation of their combatants. These include a code of conduct for Maoist combatants, a plan of action for management of former Maoist army personnel and directives related to the monitoring mechanism.

The deal clear the way for the government to send a joint letter to the UN Security Council for the extension of the term of the UNMIN.

Meanwhile, the Security Council will vote on whether to grant request tomorrow.

UNMIN chief Karin Landgren said she hoped the agreement would forward the peace process significantly.

Last week, UN chief Ban Ki-moon had warned that the world body may terminate its political mission in Nepal unless parties ended their standoff, as his senior officials cautioned that prolonged political bickering and distrust could hit the constitutional process.